Southern Illinois University
24-6, 6-3
Loyola University Chicago
5-17, 1-5
Salukis take two from Ramblers
04/02/2021 | 5:49:00 | Softball
Southern outscored Loyola, 22-1 in its doubleheader sweep Friday.
The Southern Illinois University softball team swept its Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader from the Loyola Ramblers on Friday, April 2. The Salukis run-ruled the Ramblers, 10-0 in six innings in game one and took game two, 12-1 in six innings.Â
"We talked to them a lot last night about being ready to play, not making assumptions and playing the full seven innings," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "What I'm most proud of is that it was 0-0 heading into the sixth of game one. We didn't give up, we didn't get down and Sarah (Harness) and our defense kept us in it. Sidney Sikes was really a leader for us today in the first game especially. She put together good at-bats and led the way and from there, everyone jumped on the train."
The Salukis won game one after they sent 14 batters to the plate in a 10-run sixth inning to back a three-hit shutout from Sarah Harness. In the nightcap, Southern scored at least one run in four of six innings, which included a six-spot in the sixth that broke the game open for good.
Southern fired on all cylinders on Friday. The Salukis outscored the Ramblers, 22-1 in the twinbill and finished with 17 hits, 13 walks, and six hit by pitches. SIU didn't commit an error defensively in either contest and the combination of Harness and Carlee Jo Clark held the Ramblers to one run on eight hits in 12 innings with nine strikeouts to just three walks.Â
"Sarah set the tone," Blaylock said. "She's a calming force for us. They got two runners on in the third and she came back and struck out the next two. She did a really good job settling in. CJ was solid as well and both Sarah and CJ did a really nice job neutralizing their best hitters."Â
After Harness kept the Ramblers at bay through five innings of game one, Southern's offense erupted in the sixth. Bailey Caylor reached on an error by Loyola's shortstop and three-straight walks, which included a bases loaded hit by pitch by Elizabeth Warwick, gave SIU a 1-0 lead. Sidney Sikes followed with a RBI-single and Elisabeth Huckleberry brought two in with single off the wall in right. After an Aubree DePron single loaded the bases again for SIU, Vermejan cleared them with a double to right center. Southern again loaded the bases, this time for Katelyn Massa, who brought in three runs with a double of her own. The Salukis tallied six hits and four walks in the frame.
All nine starters reached base at least once in SIU's game one win. Sikes went 2-for-3 with a RBI while Vermejan was 1-for-2 with two walks and 3 RBIs. Massa was 1-for-2 with a double, two walks and 3 RBIs.
Harness tossed a three-hit shutout to improve to 12-2 on the season. She walked only two and struck out six.
In game two, Southern scored two in the second, three in the third, one in the fourth and tacked on six more in the sixth to cruise to a 12-1 win.
Southern opened the scoring in the top of the second after it caught two-out lightning. Huckleberry singled up the middle and Rylie Hamilton did likewise. Vermejan followed with her first triple in nearly three years to clear the bases and stake SIU to a 2-0 lead.Â
The Salukis added to their lead with a three-spot in the third. Jansen walked and Warwick brought her in to score with her first career triple. Sikes then singled to center to bring in Warwick and she later came around to score on a single by Huckleberry.Â
Loyola cut SIU's deficit to four in the bottom of the third after it used three hits to push across a run.
SIU wasted no time getting that run back, as Vermejan led off the fourth with her third home run of the season.
Southern broke the game open for good with a six-run sixth. After Loyola got SIU's leadoff hitter out, Southern drew seven-straight walks (four bases on balls, three hit by pitches) to plate four runs. Huckleberry followed with her third hit of the contest- a two-run double to close out the scoring.
Nine hitters reached base for the Salukis in the nightcap as Southern tallied a season-high 10 hits to go along with seven walks and three hit by pitches. Huckleberry was 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs while Vermejan was 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run and 3 RBIs.Â
"Jen talked to them after the SEMO game about being able to make adjustments. We definitely did that today."
Clark (6-0) got the win in game two, as she allowed just one run on five hits with three strikeouts to just one walk.
The Salukis will go for their first three-game sweep of the Ramblers since 2015 when the two teams tangle tomorrow beginning at 11 a.m.
Notes
Southern's 10 runs in the sixth inning of its game one win were its most runs in an inning since SIU plated 10 in the second inning of a 20-1 win over Valpo on March 23, 2019 … Vermejan's bases clearing triple in game two was her third career triple and first since April 11, 2018…Massa's 4 RBIs moved her past Taylor Orsburn for third on SIU's all-time career RBI list with 138 … Jansen extended her reached base streak to 13 games after she walked in both of SIU's wins … Southern's two triples in its game two win were its most in a game since Feb. 10, 2019 when it also had two triples in a win over Mississippi Valley State … Vermejan is now 10 runs shy of breaking Mallory Duran-Sellers school record of 162 career runs scored … Vermejan stole her 47th career base in game one- which moved her into fifth on SIU's all-time stolen bases list … Kerri Blaylock now needs six wins to pass Itchy Jones for the most career wins of any coach in Saluki athletics history.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harness, Sarah (12-2)
L: Ruggles (3-9)
Batting:
2B: Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Massa, Katelyn 1
RBI: Vermejan, Maddy 3 ; Massa, Katelyn 3 ; Warwick, Elizabeth 1 ; Sikes, Sidney 1 ; Huckleberry, Elisabeth 2
SH: Boelens, Maris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Caylor, Bailey 1 ; Boelens, Maris 1 ; Jansen, Jenny 2 ; Massa, Katelyn 1 ; Warwick, Elizabeth 1 ; Eilers, Danyelle 1 ; Huckleberry, Elisabeth 1 ; DePron, Aubree 1
SB: Vermejan, Maddy 1
CS: Vermejan, Maddy 1 ; Wernig, Meredith 1
HBP: Vermejan, Maddy 2 ; Warwick, Elizabeth 1
Batting:
2B: Ivey 1
