Southern Illinois University
3-5
Nicholls State University
2-8
Salukis close out The Spring Games with 7-5 win over Colonels
02/16/2020 | 3:06:00 | Softball
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — The Southern Illinois University softball team won its third-straight game Sunday. The Salukis closed out play at The Spring Games with a 7-5 win over Nicholls State.
Southern pounded out eight hits and drew a season-high nine walks. SIU's offense is averaging eight runs and 9.7 hits per game during its three-game win streak. In the circle, all three of Southern's active pitchers threw for the second-straight game.
"Sundays are gut check days because everyone is tired," 21st-year head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "We have a couple of kids that are dinged up right now, which is no excuse but also no secret. We pieced some things together. It was 'next man up' and we got the job done. I'm really proud of our kids."
Southern scored in each of the first three innings and added a three-spot in the sixth. Jenny Jansen and Maddy Vermejan both hit two-run home runs- Jansen's gave SIU an early 2-0 lead and Vermejan's put Southern ahead for good in the sixth.
"The big flies were huge," Blaylock said of SIU's two home runs. "We had a good scouting report from coach Sewell and we executed the game plan."
Sarah Harness picked up her second win of the season in relief. The freshman hurler allowed one run on four hits over two and two third innings and struck out two. Carlee Jo Clark got the start and went two and two third innings before being relieved by Holly Marousek. Marousek gave up just one run on two hits in one and two third innings before turning it over to Harness in the fifth.
"I thought all three pitchers hung in there and did a good job to get us the win," Blaylock said.
Susie Baranski led off the bottom of the first with a single and Jansen, who was making her first career start at shortstop, brought her into score with her first home run of the season. Baranski became the 20th player in program history to score 100 career runs when she touched home plate in the first.
After Nicholls State cut SIU's lead in half in the top of the second, Southern manufactured a run in the bottom half of the frame. Kyleigh Decker walked and went from first to third on a bunt by Kerrigan Gamm. Maris Boelens brought Decker in to score with a long fly ball to left.
The Colonels tied the score with a two-run blast in the top of the third, but the Salukis answered with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Decker in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead.
Nicholls State used a solo home run in the top of the fifth to tie the contest and chase reliever Holly Marousek. Sarah Harness came on in relief and retired five-straight batters. Southern's offense came through in the sixth, as Baranski reached on an infield single and Vermejan brought her in with her two-run shot. The Salukis later added another run on a RBI-groundout by Decker.
The Salukis are back in Florida next weekend for the Florida Gulf Coast Spring Break Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. Southern will take on Fordham, Harvard, Michigan State and UMass Lowell during the three-day event.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harness, Sarah (2-3)
L: Westbrook, Taryn (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Holland, Emma 2 ; Whitehead, Nikki 1
HR: Garcia, Caitlin 2
RBI: Garcia, Caitlin 4 ; Mracich, Samantha 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Holland, Emma 2 ; Garcia, Caitlin 2 ; Amerson, Allie 1
CS: Mracich, Samantha 1
Batting:
2B: Vermejan, Maddy 1
HR: Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Jansen, Jenny 1
RBI: Vermejan, Maddy 2 ; Jansen, Jenny 2 ; Decker, Kyleigh 2 ; Boelens, Maris 1
SH: Gamm, Kerrigan 1
SF: Decker, Kyleigh 1 ; Boelens, Maris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Baranski, Susie 2 ; Vermejan, Maddy 2 ; Jansen, Jenny 2 ; Decker, Kyleigh 1
SB: Baranski, Susie 1 ; Jansen, Jenny 1
CS: Wernig, Meredith 1
HBP: Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Sikes, Sidney 1
