Southern Illinois University
30-10, 0
Indiana State University
16-21, 0
Blaylock ties Jones’ all-time wins record as Salukis take series opener from Sycamores
04/24/2021 | 8:46:00 | Softball
The Southern Illinois University softball team downed the Indiana State Sycamores, 3-1 in the series opener between two programs Saturday at Price Field in Terre Haute, Ind.
With the win, SIU reached the 30-win plateau for the 18th time in Kerri Blaylock's 21 full seasons (not including 2020) as head coach, which are the most of any MVC school during that time period. The victory also marked the 738th career win for Blaylock, which ties her with Itchy Jones for the most wins by a coach of any sport in SIU history.
"Tying Itch's record is special to me because I grew up knowing everything about him and what a phenomenal coach he is," Blaylock said. "But just like I told the players after the game, I've never put on a uniform at SIU and I've never gone out and pitched or hit a ball here. So I think what it says is that all of my assistants throughout the years and myself have recruited some really good kids to come play here at SIU. That's what I've been the benefactor of- phenomenal players that go out and play the game at a high level."
The Salukis scored two runs in the second and added to their lead with a run in the third. Indiana State got a run back in the bottom half of the third but Southern's defense helped Sarah Harness get through the inning and she took care of the rest. She allowed just two base runners after the third, neither of which made it past second, to lock down the win for the Salukis.
"I thought Sarah settled in nicely," Blaylock said. "She was a little tentative in the circle at the beginning but she really settled in around the third inning and I thought she threw a great game."
After Harness got back-to-back strikeouts to strand Indiana State runners at second and third in the bottom of the first, Southern got to work in the top of the second. Sidney Sikes was hit in the ankle by a 2-2 pitch before Kerrigan Gamm reached on catcher's interference. Aubree DePron made the Sycamores pay with a single that forced an overthrow by Indiana State's defense and allowed Sikes' courtesy runner, Danielle Eilers to come in from second and Gamm to race around from first to score her first career run.
"Aubree came up big in a big situation and I thought Danielle Eilers and Kerrigan Gamm did a great job of base running on that play in the second," Blaylock said. "Jenny came through with a big hit and Maris had a really good today. It was good to see some different kids be able to contribute."
A heads up play defensively by DePron in the bottom half of the frame helped SIU get out of the second unscathed. After Harness issued a one-out walk, the Sycamores' Mycaela Miller socked a single to right that DePron collected quickly and fired to second to cut down the lead runner. Harness got the ground out she needed to get out of the second and the Salukis added to their lead in the third.
Maris Boelens slugged a one-out double in the third and Jenny Jansen brought her in to score with a single to put SIU ahead 3-0. In doing so, Jansen extended her on-base streak to 22 games, which is the longest such streak by a Saluki since 2013. Boelens, meanwhile, was 2-for-3 with a double and a triple.
Indiana State answered with a run on three hits in the third but Harness was able to limit the damage thanks in part to heads up defensive play by Jansen. After Jansen knocked down a single at shortstop that appeared to load the bases for Indiana State, she noticed the lead runner off third and chased her down and applied the tag for the third out of the frame.
"Jenny is such a smart ball player," Blaylock remarked about Jansen's heads up defensive play in the third. "She doesn't give up on a play. She will find the next play to make. She did that earlier this year at UAB. And she does that despite not having played shortstop since her freshman year. What she's done to replace Ashley Wood has been tremendous."
After that, Harness sat down 12 of the game's final 14 batters to seal her 16th win of the season. The sophomore hurler went the distance and scattered one run on eight hits- none of which went for extra bases- while striking out five and walking two.
Sarah is a young kid that has had to be our game one starter every series and that takes a lot to be able to do that," Blaylock said. "She's done a fantastic job. In the third inning we talked to her about being in attack mode and I thought she settled in and did a terrific job today."
The Salukis and the Sycamores will conclude their series tomorrow with a doubleheader set to begin at Noon ET.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harness, Sarah (16-4)
L: Schnaiter (6-4)
Batting:
2B: Boelens, Maris 1
3B: Boelens, Maris 1
RBI: Jansen, Jenny 1 ; DePron, Aubree 2
SH: Caylor, Bailey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Boelens, Maris 1 ; Eilers, Danyelle 1 ; Gamm, Kerrigan 1
SB: Wernig, Meredith 1
HBP: Sikes, Sidney 1 ; Gamm, Kerrigan 1
Batting:
RBI: Guercio, A. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Marsicek, M. 1
SB: Patton, O. 1
