Southern Illinois University
SIUE
Salukis use big fourth inning to down Cougars
03/14/2022 | 5:50:00 | Softball
Jenny Jansen threw a complete game in her first career start in the circle.
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University softball team used a seven run fourth inning to down sister school SIUE, 9-4 on Monday, March 14 to close out play at the Saluki Invitational.
The Salukis (10-8) won their second-straight game over the Cougars after it rallied from a 2-1 deficit with a seven run fourth and added a solo run in the fifth for good measure. Southern was able to pick up the win without having to throw either Sarah Harness and Madi Eberle. Jenny Jansen made her first career start in the circle and went the distance, as she threw the first complete game of her career to improve to 2-0 in the circle.
"I was just trying to do my job," Jansen said. "I knew my defense was going to have my back because I'm not a strikeout pitcher by any means. I was well aware (SIUE) was probably going to hit a few balls hard so I just wanted to keep the ball off the plate, manage my walks and work outs where I could."
Jansen threw all seven innings and allowed four runs on 11 hits with four walks. The Warrenton, Mo. native hadn't pitched in a game prior to this season since high school and even then, she never threw the entire game.
"I don't think I pitched a full game in either high school or travel ball," Jansen said. "This is definitely the longest I've pitched in a game."
Interim head coach Jen Sewell made the call to start Jansen this morning and gave her All-American candidate a heads up at the beginning of the day that she was going to get the ball in the circle. After both Harness and Eberle pitched Sunday and with five conference games in the next six days, the Salukis desperately needed a long outing from Jansen and she obliged.
"She's such a competitor," Sewell said of Jansen. "I have so much respect for her. She's obviously very talented and does so many things well but when you want the ball, there is just something about that that is super special. She just loves to compete and will do anything to help us win."
The Cougars went ahead, 2-1 in the top of the third after a long fly ball to the warning track was tipped over the fence for a home run. After that, Jansen and Southern's defense kept SIUE at bay for long enough so that SIU's bats could get rolling.
The Salukis sent 12 batters to the plate during its seven run fourth inning. Elisabeth Huckleberry opened the inning with a single and Elizabeth Warwick brought her and Tori Schullian into score with a double to the gap in left to give SIU the lead, 3-2. Sidney Sikes followed with a two-run single and Ashley Wood added a RBI-single of her own during the onslaught.
"We are built for big innings," Sewell said. "We might not get going the first time through the order but we are trying to keep an eye on what is and what's not a strike and what type of pitches the pitcher is throwing. Then the second and third time through the lineup is when we typically go off. It's a bit on purpose- obviously we're always trying to score early in games- but knowing that we don't have to score early we can sit back and learn what a pitcher is doing and try to piece together a plan."
Eight different Salukis recorded a hit in the win, and all nine starters reached base safely at least once. Huckleberry continued to swing a hot bat, as she went 3-for-4 with two runs scored while Warwick was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI.
"Our lineup isn't just nine-deep- we're probably 13, 14 or 15 deep," Sewell said. "The good part about that is that if we do have to make a change because of an injury, I have no problem right now going to our bench. Thats the feeling I wanted going into conference playbecause anything can happen over the next few months."
The Salukis have a quick turnaround, as they head to Springfield, Mo. on Wednesday to open Missouri Valley Conference play with a doubleheader against the Missouri State Bears. First pitch of game one is set for Noon.
