Southern Illinois University
1-5
University of South Dakota
3-5
Salukis win two on day two of The Spring Games
02/15/2020 | 7:28:00 | Softball
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — The Southern Illinois University softball team won both of its games at The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Fla. on Saturday. The Salukis won game one against South Dakota, 9-7 and followed with an 8-5 comeback win over Monmouth in the nightcap.
"It was really impressive to me that we battled all day today," 21st-year head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "We didn't quit. Our seniors showed up big as did our freshmen. Everyone played a role. I thought we had a good day today and I just hope we keep it rolling."
The Salukis (2-5) looked like the team from 2019 that tied the school-record for on-base percentage while posting the program's batting average in 25 years. Southern erupted for 21 hits, drew 12 walks and hit at a .339 clip in Saturday's doubleheader sweep.
While Southern's offense clicked and had several notable clutch performers, SIU's youthful pitching staff answered the call. With senior starting pitcher Claire Miller unavailable to pitch, the Salukis handed the ball to junior Holly Marousek and freshmen Sarah Harness and Carlee Jo Clark. Harness was the workhorse of the day, as she threw 10 innings and earned both a win and a save. Clark and Marousek both threw two innings each, with Clark earning her first collegiate victory in the circle in the win over South Dakota.
"We were locked in at the plate," 21st-year head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "That's what we were about last year just as we are this year. Coach (Jen) Sewell does a great job with our offense. To get our bats going was big. We also got good performances out of our young pitchers that we are relying on. I'm really proud of our team."
In the win over South Dakota, SIU hung crooked numbers in the second, third and fifth innings. The Salukis jumped out to a 6-0 lead after three innings and maintained a six-run advantage after five innings thanks to a three-run fifth.
Harness allowed just three earned runs on seven hits and struck out seven over five and a third non-consecutive innings against the Coyotes to earn the save. The freshman from Bowling Green, Mo. started the game and went two and two third innings before Clark entered in relief. After Clark ran into trouble after an inning and two thirds, Harness came in and kept South Dakota at bay to earn her first collegiate decision.
SIU's 1-2-3 hitters, Susie Baranski, Maris Boelens and Jenny Jansen, each cranked out two hits a piece while Kyleigh Decker went 2-of-3 with two RBI and three runs scored. Eight different Salukis recorded a hit in the win.
In Southern's victory over the defending MAAC champions, the Monmouth Hawks, Southern fell behind 4-0 after four innings but used a five-run fifth to snatch back the lead and followed with two runs in the sixth and an insurance run in the seventh.
Southern manufactured its first run of the fourth after a perfectly placed bunt by Susie Baranski allowed Aubree DePron to score from second. Maddy Vermejan followed with a two-run double and Kyleigh Decker punctuated the comeback with a two-out, two-run home run to left center. In all, SIU scored eight unanswered runs before the Hawks tacked on a run in the bottom of the seventh.
Marousek got her first start of the 2020 season and allowed just two hits in two innings of work. Harness earned her first collegiate win after she surrender just five hits and faced four over the minimum in her four and two thirds innings in the circle.
Baranski notched her second multi-hit performance of the day after she went 2-for-4. Vermejan went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and three RBI while Decker was 2-for-4 with her second home run in three games.
The Salukis finish out play at The Spring Games on Sunday, Feb. 16 against Nicholls State. First pitch is set for 9 a.m. ET.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Clark, Carlee Jo (1-1)
L: Sarah Lisko (2-1)
S: Harness, Sarah (1)
Batting:
2B: Jansen, Jenny 1 ; Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Decker, Kyleigh 1
RBI: Baranski, Susie 1 ; Jansen, Jenny 1 ; Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Wood, Ashley 1 ; Decker, Kyleigh 2 ; Sikes, Sidney 1
SH: Brown, Megan 1
SF: Wood, Ashley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Baranski, Susie 1 ; Jansen, Jenny 1 ; Vermejan, Maddy 2 ; Wood, Ashley 2 ; Decker, Kyleigh 3
SB: Baranski, Susie 1 ; Vermejan, Maddy 2
HBP: Jansen, Jenny 1 ; Vermejan, Maddy 2 ; Sikes, Sidney 1
Batting:
2B: Dylan Underwood 1
RBI: Charis Black 1 ; Dylan Underwood 1 ; Kierstin Denning 1 ; Lauren Wobken 2 ; Skylar Arellano 1
SF: Lauren Wobken 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Camille Fowler 1 ; Courtney Wilson 1 ; Lauren Eamiguel 2 ; Charis Black 1 ; Jordyn Pender 1 ; Dylan Underwood 1
SB: Lauren Eamiguel 1
HBP: Jordyn Pender 1 ; Dylan Underwood 1
