Southern Illinois University
2-3
Georgia Tech
6-1
Salukis split on day one of Bulldog Kickoff Classic
02/18/2022 | 8:50:00 | Softball
Southern picked up its third-straight win over Mississippi State dating back to the 2019 season.
The Southern Illinois University softball team split on day one of the Bulldog Kickoff Classic, as it fell 5-2 to Georgia Tech in the opener but rebounded to defeat Mississippi State, 4-3 in the nightcap.
In the win over the Bulldogs, Southern got out to an early lead with a run in the second and added a three-spot in the fifth to give Sarah Harness all the run support she needed in the circle.
"Sarah threw very, very well tonight," head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "She was in command of all of her pitches and she had a really good presence about her. You expect a team out of the SEC to keep coming at you and Sarah weathered the storm. She dug down really deep in both the sixth and seventh innings to finish it."
Harness went the distance in the win, as she allowed just two earned runs on six hits. She struck out four and walked two.Â
The Salukis used a total team effort at the plate to dispose of the Bulldogs, as 8-of-9 starters reached base at least once. Jenny Jansen (2-for-4) and Rylie Hamilton (2-for-3) each tallied multi-hit games in the victory.
"We hit the ball extremely well," Blaylock said. "We had a great presence at the plate. Jenny, Tori, Emma and Rylie are all hitting the ball really well. We kept coming at Mississippi State and that's what we needed to do."
With the Salukis clinging to a two-run advantage in the bottom of the sixth, three-time All-Region honoree Mia Davidson led off the frame with a solo home run- her first career hit against SIU in three career games- to halve Southern's lead. Harness weathered the storm though to protect the lead.
Mississippi State got its lead runner on in the top of the seventh and appeared as though it might flip its lineup to get back to the heart of its order but Southern's defense came up big. Harness got Mississippi State's leadoff hitter, Brylie St. Clair, to hit a ball up the middle where Elisabeth Huckleberry was shaded from her position at second. Huckleberry scooped up the grounder, touched second and fired to first for the 4-3 double play to end the game and give the Salukis their third-straight win over the Bulldogs dating back to the 2019 season.
"I told Sarah in the sixth after Davidson's home run that we need to focus on getting the next six outs however we can," Blaylock said. "Elisabeth being in the right position and coming up with the double play to end it was huge."
In the opener, Georgia Tech roared out to a 3-0 lead after three innings. Southern got a run back in the fourth but the Yellow Jackets took advantage of a pair of Saluki errors in the bottom of the frame to plate two more runs. SIU sent the tying run to the plate in the fifth but that was as close as they could get.
2021 NFCA All-Region First Team selection Tricia Awald put Georgia Tech on the board in the bottom half of the first, as she socked a solo home run to left. The Yellow Jackets added used a walk and two singles to tack on two more runs in the bottom of the third.
Southern got a run back in the top of the fourth on a RBI-double from Baker but the Yellow Jackets added two more runs on a Saluki error in the bottom half of the frame.
In the top of the fifth, Sikes crushed a two-out double and moved to third on a single by Wood. Jansen then came through with a RBI-single to plate Sikes and cut SIU's deficit back to three, 5-2, but that was as close as they could get.
"I give Georgia Tech a lot of credit for coming out and attacking us but we didn't play well at all in the first game," Blaylock said. "It was a disappointing effort in all phases. I think the kids want to come back and have a better go of it tomorrow."
Southern will have a chance at redemption against the Yellow Jackets tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. Southern closes out play in Starkville against Central Arkansas at 5:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Chandler Dennis (2-0)
L: Eberle, Madi (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Sikes, Sidney 1 ; Baker, Addi 1
RBI: Jansen, Jenny 1 ; Baker, Addi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sikes, Sidney 1 ; Austin, Emma 1
SB: Eilers, Danyelle 1
Batting:
2B: Tricia Awald 1 ; Sarah Beth Allen 1
HR: Tricia Awald 1
RBI: Tricia Awald 1 ; Grace Connelly 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Emma Kauf 1 ; Tricia Awald 2 ; Mallorie Black 1 ; Kennedy Cowden 1
HBP: Ella Edgmon 1
