Southern Illinois University
34-14
Detroit Mercy
31-28
Salukis’ record-breaking season comes to an end
05/19/2019 | 2:58:00 | Softball
SIU defeated Detroit-Mercy to post SIU’s 10th NCAA Regional win in program history.
EVANSTON, Ill. — The Southern Illinois softball team won its first game at a NCAA Tournament since 2007 with a 2-1 walk-off victory over Detroit-Mercy in its first elimination game Saturday before falling to Northwestern, 8-1, to conclude the 2019 season.
The Salukis (34-15) fell behind in the top of the third when a bases-loaded free pass gave the Titans a 1-0 lead. Southern manufactured a run in the fifth thanks to heads-up base running by Maddy Vermejan. Maris Boelens' came through with a clutch one-out RBI-single in the seventh to end Detroit-Mercy's season.
SIU's win was its first at a NCAA Regional since 2007 and the 10th overall under head coach Kerri Blaylock. It marked the sixth time in Southern's seven trips to the NCAA Tournament under Blaylock that the Salukis have come away with at least one tournament win.
"We needed it," Blaylock said of SIU's win Saturday. "Getting here just isn't enough. We wanted to prove we belonged."
In the top of the fifth in the win over Detroit-Mercy, Vermejan's speed was the difference. The All-MVC First-Team selection roped a one-out single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and stole third after she caught the Titans' defense napping following a walk to Jansen.
With runners at the corners, Jansen forced a throw from Detroit-Mercy's catcher on a double steal that allowed Vermejan to race home and tie the contest at 1-all.
After Brianna Jones threw up two-straight zeros, Boelens came through with the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh. Sidney Sikes led off with a five-pitch walk and Susie Baranski beat out a dribbler to third to give SIU two runners on. A Vermejan bunt set the table for Boelens' heroics.
Jones, who entered the game in relief of Claire Miller with the bases loaded in the third, was superb in her penultimate game as a Saluki. She allowed just four hits and struck out five to win her 91st career game. She threw a total of 213 pitches Saturday between SIU's two elimination games.
"This is a special team," an emotional Blaylock said. "We had great pitching from Bri to Claire to Holly. The offense was good and we were ranked third in the country in defense. It's just a special team and I'm old enough to know that specialness only comes around every so often."
In the nightcap, SIU hung in with the No. 16 Northwestern Wildcats but a grand slam in the top of the seventh put the game out of reach late.
Southern had its chances- the Salukis stranded 10 runners and hit into a pair of costly double plays.
After Northwestern went ahead 4-0 in the third, SIU cut its deficit with a run in the fourth. Sidney Sikes roped a two-out, RBI-single to left that scored Ashley Wood from second to get SIU to within three.
That was close as the Salukis could get though. Southern stranded at least one runner in all seven innings and got a runner to third in three of those innings, but couldn't come up with a timely base hit when it needed it most.
"Northwestern's left-handed hitters did a good job against us but then we were able to throw up some zeros," Blaylock said. "I thought we kept hitting the ball hard but they made some great defensive plays."
Jansen recorded a pair of hits against Northwestern and notched at least one base knock in all three of SIU's tournament games. She was 6-for-9 (.667) with three doubles, two walks and two RBI. In doing so, she raised her season batting average to .409- the fifth-best single-season average in school history. She is the first Saluki to hit over .400 since Christine Knotts did so in 1996.
The Salukis conclude the 2019 season with 34-15 record. Southern tied the school record for on-base percentage (.402) and posted both the second-best batting average (.303) and slugging percentage (.458) in program history. Southern's batting average was its best since 1994 while its slugging percentage was its highest since 2005. The 2019 Salukis also broke the school record for fielding percentage (.979) and committed the fewest errors (29) in program history.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Brianna (24-10)
L: MURPHY, Liz (11-14)
Batting:
RBI: GILBERT, Cou 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LANG, Alyssa 1
Batting:
2B: Jansen, Jenny 1
RBI: Boelens, Maris 1
SH: Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Boelens, Maris 1 ; Massa, Katelyn 1 ; Baranski, Susie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Johnson, Nicole 1
SB: Vermejan, Maddy 1
CS: Jansen, Jenny 1
