Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Decker, Harness earn MVC Weekly Honors
03/02/2020 | 1:47:00 | Softball
Salukis sweep the MVC weekly awards for the first time since the MVC Newcomer of the Week honor was added in 2014.
ST. LOUIS — Southern Illinois University softball players Kyleigh Decker and Sarah Harness swept the Missouri Valley Conference weekly awards, the league announced Monday. Decker was named the MVC Player of the Week while Harness took home both MVC Pitcher and Newcomer of the Week honors.
Decker had a monstrous weekend at the plate to lead the Salukis to a perfect 5-0 record at the Coach B Classic. The junior first baseman slashed a ridiculous .692/.777/1.462 on the weekend with three home runs, nine RBI, five walks, a double and two stolen bases. The Casey, Ill. native recorded at least one hit in all five games, including a career-high four in the win over Murray State. Against the Racers, Decker went 4-for-5 with two home runs, including a walk-off, two-run blast in the eighth inning and drove in a total of four runs.
Harness went 3-0 with a save in 15 shutout innings over the weekend. The Bowling Green, Mo. native didn't allow a run, surrendered just nine hits- eight of which were singles, walked only one and struck out 22. She opened the weekend with a complete game, seven inning shutout of Northern Kentucky in which she allowed just five hits, struck out eight and walked one. Later that day, she entered in relief against Creighton and retired both batters she faced to earn the save. The following day against Purdue Fort Wayne, Harness allowed just two hits, struck out 10 and didn't issue a walk to earn the complete game, five inning shutout. She later came on in relief in the win over Murray State and allowed just two hits in two and two third innings to pick up her third win of the weekend.
Harness leads the Valley in both innings pitched and wins, is tied for first in saves and is second in the league in both strikeouts and appearances. The freshman hurler becomes the second Saluki, and the seventh pitcher in MVC history, to win both Pitcher and Newcomer honors in the same week. Harness joins an exclusive list that includes Brianna Jones (2/29/16), Drake's Nicole Timmons (2/26/18) and Nicole Newman (5/4/15), Evansville's Morgan Florey (2/22/16), UNI's Bailey Lange (4/11/16) and Valparaiso's Kelsie Packard (4/30/18) as the only players in MVC history to do so.
Since 2014 when the Missouri Valley Conference added the MVC Newcomer of the Week award, it is the first time in school history that SIU has swept all three awards. Southern joins Drake as the only programs to have accomplished that feat since the inception of the MVC Newcomer of the Week honor.
The Salukis, winners of five-straight and 11 of their last 12 games, host the Saluki Invitational beginning on Friday, March 6.
