Southern Illinois University
15-6
IUPUI
5-15
Salukis extend win streak to nine with 6-2 win over Jaguars
03/08/2020 | 8:43:00 | Softball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University softball team won its ninth-straight game Sunday night, as the Salukis scored six unanswered runs to down the IUPUI Jaguars, 6-2 on the final day of the Saluki Invitational.
The Salukis, who lost their first five games of the 2020 season, have now won nine-straight and 15 of their last 16 games as they head into conference play on Wednesday at Missouri State.
"I just told our team- can you believe this is the same group that started the season 0-5 and were wondering if we were going to win a game," 21st-year head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "We just have to believe, stick with the process and the kids have been doing that."
After IUPUI scored a run in both the second and third innings, Southern put up a three-spot in the third, added two runs in the fifth and pushed across another in the sixth.
Sarah Harness picked up her ninth win of the season after she threw three and a third innings of one-hit relief. Claire Miller got the start and went two innings, but ran into trouble after the Jaguars loaded the bases with no outs in the third. Marousek came on in relief and was stellar- she got SIU out of the jam in the third and surrendered just one hit in her one and two-third innings of work.
"Holly coming in with the no outs and the bases loaded and only giving up one run was huge," Blaylock said.
Jenny Jansen was the hero for the Salukis on Sunday. The junior from Warrenton, Mo. finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a home run and four RBI. She helped SIU tie the game in the third after she put down a perfect bunt that brought in Susie Baranski and allowed Aubree DePron to score from second. Jansen advanced on the play after IUPUI's bunt defense left second base open, then moved to the third on a passed ball and came into score on a sacrifice fly by Ashley Wood.
In the fifth, DePron walked, stole second and advanced to third on an overthrow by IUPUI's catcher. Jansen then brought her into score when she belted her third home run of the season to stake Southern to a 5-2 lead.
"Jenny has been wanting to do better and she feels like she should be doing more for us offensively," Blaylock said. "I believe that you just keep playing hard and the game repays you and her performance today was evidence of that."
The Salukis plated their final run on a sacrifice fly by Sidney Sikes in the sixth.
The Jaguars struck first, as a double to the corner in left field allowed a runner to score. They added to their lead in the third after a flare infield single and back-to-back walks gave IUPUI bases loaded with no outs. Marousek limited the damage and Southern took the lead for good in the third.
Harness was lights out in relief. She faced one above the minimum and struck out four. The reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week has now thrown 25.2-consecutive scoreless innings.
The top of SIU's lineup, Baranski, DePron and Jansen, accounted for five of SIU's runs and four of its seven hits. Baranski was 1-for-3 with a run scored while DePron put on a clinic on the base paths. She went 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs scored and a stolen base that forced an overthrow. The Blanchard, Ok. native also scored from second on Jansen's bunt single that seemingly gave SIU the momentum for good.
The Salukis are back in action on Wednesday, March 11 when they open Missouri Valley Conference play at Missouri State.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harness, Sarah (9-4)
L: LUCAS, Lexi (1-6)
Batting:
2B: LOGE, McKenzie 1
RBI: GREGORY, Rachel 1 ; LOGE, McKenzie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SPETH, Jaida 1 ; TREVINO, Sabrina 1
Batting:
2B: Wood, Ashley 1 ; Decker, Kyleigh 1
HR: Jansen, Jenny 1
RBI: Jansen, Jenny 4 ; Wood, Ashley 1 ; Sikes, Sidney 1
SF: Wood, Ashley 1 ; Sikes, Sidney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Baranski, Susie 1 ; DePron, Aubree 2 ; Jansen, Jenny 2 ; Decker, Kyleigh 1
SB: Baranski, Susie 1 ; DePron, Aubree 1
CS: Vermejan, Maddy 1
HBP: Vermejan, Maddy 1
