Friday, May 17
Evanston, Ill.
12 PM
Southern Illinois University
33-14
5
vs
9
Louisville
34-21
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7
R
H
E
Southern Illinois
0
0
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5
11
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Louisville
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9
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2
Photo by: Will Becque
Salukis fall to Cardinals in opening game of Evanston Regional
05/17/2019 | 5:42:00 | Softball
Southern sent the tying run to the plate in the seventh but came up just short.
EVANSTON, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University softball team sent the tying run to the plate with two outs in the top of the seventh inning of the opening game of the Evanston Regional against the Louisville Cardinals, but a leaping snag by Louisville's shortstop Caitlin Ferguson ended the threat and sealed the win for the Cardinals.
Southern will face Detroit-Mercy in an elimination game tomorrow at 3:30 p.m., weather permitting. The winner of that game will play the loser of Northwestern vs. Louisville at 6 p.m.
The Salukis trailed 4-0 after two innings but cut their deficit in half with a two-run third. After a 1-2-3 bottom half of the third, SIU took its first lead with a three-run fourth.
The Cardinals, however, didn't flinch, as they used a solo home run in the bottom half of the fourth to tie the contest. Louisville added three runs in the fifth and another run in the sixth.
"We didn't pitch very well early," 20th-year head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "That's unusual but I don't think you rail on a pitcher that is your all-time wins leader. It was a rough start. I thought our offense was fantastic and that Jen (Sewell) had them prepared. I thought Jenny Jansen, Maris Boelens and Maddy Vermejan had phenomenal games today. We just didn't throw very well. Our focus now is winning ball games here and winning tomorrow against whoever we play first."
Jansen had a tremendous NCAA Tournament debut. The All-MVC and All-Region First-Team selection went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. Defensively, the sophomore center fielder made a spectacular diving catch in the bottom of the third to steal a hit away.
"Both of their pitchers were a good matchup for me," Jansen said. "I like to hit the inside pitch and both of those pitchers lived on the inside corner. I saw it well and I thought our hitters put pressure on their defense, sometimes it just doesn't work out how you want it to."
Maris Boelens, making just her 17th start of the season due to a late scratch, was also stellar in her tournament debut. The sophomore left fielder tied her career-best with three hits, as she went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Seven Salukis recorded at least one hit and eight total reached base at least once. Southern left runners at second and third in each of the first three innings and stranded 12 for the game.
"We definitely got runners on, we just didn't get the timely hits that we needed," Vermejan said. "When we got runners in scoring position, we just couldn't get the big hit."
Brianna Jones took the loss in the circle, as she had an uncharacteristic rough start. The wet and rainy conditions didn't help matters, as she threw 46 pitches in the first inning alone. The four-time All-MVC first-team selection threw four and one third innings, allowed six earned runs on six hits and walked four.
Claire Miller came on in relief of Jones and allowed just one earned run on three hits in an inning and two-thirds.
Southern will now play with its back against the wall for the remainder of the tournament, as another loss will end the Salukis' 2019 season.
"We have to make losing not an option," Jansen said. "I think we have to go out there and act like we are going to win every game. If we play with that mindset, I don't think we are going to lose."
Southern takes on Detroit Mercy tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. at Sharon Drysdale Field.
Southern will face Detroit-Mercy in an elimination game tomorrow at 3:30 p.m., weather permitting. The winner of that game will play the loser of Northwestern vs. Louisville at 6 p.m.
The Salukis trailed 4-0 after two innings but cut their deficit in half with a two-run third. After a 1-2-3 bottom half of the third, SIU took its first lead with a three-run fourth.
The Cardinals, however, didn't flinch, as they used a solo home run in the bottom half of the fourth to tie the contest. Louisville added three runs in the fifth and another run in the sixth.
"We didn't pitch very well early," 20th-year head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "That's unusual but I don't think you rail on a pitcher that is your all-time wins leader. It was a rough start. I thought our offense was fantastic and that Jen (Sewell) had them prepared. I thought Jenny Jansen, Maris Boelens and Maddy Vermejan had phenomenal games today. We just didn't throw very well. Our focus now is winning ball games here and winning tomorrow against whoever we play first."
Jansen had a tremendous NCAA Tournament debut. The All-MVC and All-Region First-Team selection went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. Defensively, the sophomore center fielder made a spectacular diving catch in the bottom of the third to steal a hit away.
"Both of their pitchers were a good matchup for me," Jansen said. "I like to hit the inside pitch and both of those pitchers lived on the inside corner. I saw it well and I thought our hitters put pressure on their defense, sometimes it just doesn't work out how you want it to."
Maris Boelens, making just her 17th start of the season due to a late scratch, was also stellar in her tournament debut. The sophomore left fielder tied her career-best with three hits, as she went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Seven Salukis recorded at least one hit and eight total reached base at least once. Southern left runners at second and third in each of the first three innings and stranded 12 for the game.
"We definitely got runners on, we just didn't get the timely hits that we needed," Vermejan said. "When we got runners in scoring position, we just couldn't get the big hit."
Brianna Jones took the loss in the circle, as she had an uncharacteristic rough start. The wet and rainy conditions didn't help matters, as she threw 46 pitches in the first inning alone. The four-time All-MVC first-team selection threw four and one third innings, allowed six earned runs on six hits and walked four.
Claire Miller came on in relief of Jones and allowed just one earned run on three hits in an inning and two-thirds.
Southern will now play with its back against the wall for the remainder of the tournament, as another loss will end the Salukis' 2019 season.
"We have to make losing not an option," Jansen said. "I think we have to go out there and act like we are going to win every game. If we play with that mindset, I don't think we are going to lose."
Southern takes on Detroit Mercy tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. at Sharon Drysdale Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Roby (14-4)
L: Jones, Brianna (23-10)
Batting:
2B: Jansen, Jenny 2
RBI: Jansen, Jenny 2 ; Massa, Katelyn 1 ; Spicer, Jordan 1
SH: Sikes, Sidney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Boelens, Maris 2 ; Jansen, Jenny 2
HBP: Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Wood, Ashley 1
Batting:
2B: Newman 1
HR: Melton 1 ; Hensley 1
RBI: Funke 1 ; Melton 2 ; Hensley 1 ; Chung 1 ; Newman 2
SH: Ferguson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Funke 1 ; Melton 3 ; Hensley 2 ; Roby 1 ; Wilbur 1 ; Newman 1
SB: Funke 1 ; Melton 1
CS: Funke 1
HBP: Chung 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
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