Southern Illinois University
8-8
Eastern Illinois
10-12
Salukis run-rule Cougars on day one of Saluki Invitational
03/13/2022 | 10:28:00 | Softball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University softball team split on day one of the Saluki Invitational on Sunday. The Salukis fell to Eastern Illinois, 13-9, in the opener before it rallied to run-rule the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars, 11-3 in five innings in the nightcap.
In the nightcap, back-to-back five-run innings gave the Salukis a much-needed run-rule win over its sister school. SIUE led 2-1 after two and a half innings but SIU countered with a run in the bottom half of the third and added five-spots in the fourth and fifth innings to end the game early.
After the Cougars led 3-1 after three-and-a-half innings, the Salukis pounced on SIUE starting pitcher Mia Haynes on her third time through the top of the order. Sidney Sikes and Elizabeth Warwick each drew one-out walks and Aubree DePron brought Sikes' courtesy runner, Emma Austin, around from second on a perfectly placed bunt that SIUE mishandled. Rylie Hamilton brought both Warwick and DePron around to score on a single back up the middle and Jenny Jansen followed with a no-doubt, two-run home run.
Jansen's two-run blast was the exclamation point needed to break out of an uncharacteristic 1-for-12 mini slump that the 2022 Preseason All-MVC selection found herself in. The Warrenton, Mo. native finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, drawing her to within three RBI of Shaye Harre's school record of 155.
"When she shook my hand, Jenny said 'I needed that'," SIU interim head coach Jen Sewell said. "I said 'I needed that too'. It happens to the best. She can't be hot all the time and when she's not, thats when others step up."
After Sarah Harness worked around a two-out walk to get out of the fifth unscathed, Southern went back to work in the bottom-half of the frame. A walk and a double put two runners on for DePron, who cleared the bases with her first career home run. The Blanchard, Okla. native was 2-for-4 with four RBI in the win and has at least one hit in five-straight games. The junior outfielder is 8-for-18 with eight RBI during that stretch. For context, DePron entered the 2022 season with five career RBI.
"Talk about a kid that just works hard- Aubree came in everyday and asked what she could do to get on the field and you're seeing that now," Sewell said. "That is what you can do to get on the field. It's not just the home runs, it's the little stuff."
In the opener, Southern battled back to tie the score at 2-all ofter four innings but the Panthers used a nine-run fifth inning to inflict enough damage to earn the win.
"We second guess things a little bit when someone comes out and throws the first punch," Sewell said. "We have to understand that now there aren't many teams that cant throw the first punch. Everybody is good so we've got to be really competitive and I don't think we were in that first game."
Four of the first five EIU batters singled in the fifth. After Harness struck out the next batter for the second out of the frame, Eastern took advantage of a pop fly that dropped in no mans land in center field to plate a pair of runs and extend the inning. The Panthers continued to pounce on the reeling Salukis, as they went single, single, hit by pitch and home run to clear the bases and go ahead 11-2.
Southern fought back and scored four in the bottom of the fifth to avoid getting run-ruled but missed an opportunity to add on even further as it stranded a pair in the frame. The Salukis plated three more runs in the seventh, which included two on Huckleberry's first home run of the season, but it wasn't enough.
Huckleberry tied her career-high with three hits and was 3-for-3 with her first home run of the season against the Panthers. Rylie Hamilton was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI.
The Salukis and Cougars will play for a second time Monday, March 14 at 2:30 p.m. to close out play at the Saluki Invitational.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harness, Sarah (5-5)
L: Mia Haynes (3-7)
Batting:
2B: Lexi King 1 ; Lauryn Yslava 1
HR: Bailey Concatto 1
RBI: Lexi King 1 ; Bailey Concatto 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bailey Concatto 1 ; Lauryn Yslava 1 ; Grace Bretveld 1
Batting:
2B: Warwick, Elizabeth 2
HR: DePron, Aubree 1 ; Jansen, Jenny 1
RBI: DePron, Aubree 4 ; Hamilton, Rylie 2 ; Jansen, Jenny 2 ; Huckleberry, Elisabeth 1 ; Gamm, Kerrigan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DePron, Aubree 2 ; Hamilton, Rylie 3 ; Jansen, Jenny 1 ; Scroggins, Chloe 1 ; Austin, Emma 1 ; Gamm, Kerrigan 1 ; Warwick, Elizabeth 2
SB: DePron, Aubree 1
HBP: Wood, Ashley 1 ; Scroggins, Chloe 1 ; Sikes, Sidney 1 ; Gamm, Kerrigan 1
