Southern Illinois University
16-1
Samford University
8-11
Salukis drop a pair on day two of Blazer Classic
03/13/2021 | 7:16:00 | Softball
The Southern Illinois University softball team had its 25-game win streak snapped Saturday, as the Salukis dropped a pair of tough luck losses. Southern fell 2-0 to Samford in game one and suffered a 1-0, walk-off defeat to the UAB Blazers in nine innings in the nightcap.
Southern's two losses were its first in 384 days. SIU's bats were never able to get going Saturday, as it managed four hits but did draw nine total walks.
Southern's defense was stellar once again and kept the Salukis in both games. SIU extended its errorless streak to 56 innings after it didn't commit an error in either of its games on Saturday. Southern's pitchers were solid as well, as they gave up just three runs on 13 total hits in 16 innings.
Against Samford, Madi Eberle fell to 6-1 on the season after she went four and two-third innings, allowed just two earned runs on seven hits with six strikeouts. Carlee Jo Clark came on in relief of Eberle and threw two and a third innings without allowing a hit.
Southern put a runner on base in four of seven innings against the Bulldogs, but couldn't get the timely hit it needed to push a run across.Â
After a leadoff single in the top of the fifth, Samford's Timberlyn Shurbutt hit a two-out home run to clear the bases and put the Bulldogs ahead for good. SIU sent the tying runner to the plate with two outs in the seventh, but wasn't able to string any offense together after that.
The game against UAB was a pitcher's duel through and through. Sarah Harness and UAB's Sarah Cespedes and Amy Woodham matched zeros and allowed a combined seven hits through seven innings.Â
Harness ran into trouble in the fourth, as UAB tallied back-to-back, one-out singles. The reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week settled in, as she induced a groundout for the second out and later snagged a liner to get out of the jam.
With two outs in the seventh, Elisabeth Huckleberry roped a two-out double to give Southern life but it was for naught.Â
In the bottom half of the eighth, the Blazers moved their runner to third with one out but Jenny Jansen turned an unassisted double play to get SIU out of it unscathed.Â
Elizabeth Warwick came through with a single that gave SIU runners on the corner with one out in the ninth but Woodham got a pop up and a groundout to keep SIU off the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Blazers led off the frame with a single. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Sadie Frazier drove a single to the outfield to walk-off the Salukis.
Harness took the loss without surrendering an earned run. She threw eight and a third innings, allowed just six hits with five strikeouts.
The Salukis will close out play at the Blazer Classic tomorrow at 11 a.m. against the Samford Bulldogs.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: DeCelles (1-2)
L: Eberle, Madi (6-1)
S: Barnett (2)
Batting:
2B: Briskin 1 ; Moore 1
HR: Shurbutt 1
RBI: Shurbutt 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Shurbutt 1 ; A. Dorsett 1
CS: Shurbutt 1
Base Running:
SB: Vermejan, Maddy 1
HBP: Vermejan, Maddy 1
