Southern Illinois University
University of Northern Iowa
Salukis drop a pair to Panthers
03/19/2022 | 8:40:00 | Softball
Jenny Jansen became SIU's all-time RBI leader during the doubleheader.
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University softball team dropped a pair of tough luck losses to the Northern Iowa Panthers on Saturday, March 19. On a blustery day in Carbondale, UNI used four home runs in the opener to power past SIU, 17-13 and followed with an 8-6 win in the nightcap.
Game one was a wild affair, made all the more wild by a tight strike zone as well as gale force winds that turned regular pop flies into home runs. The two teams combined for eight home runs, a total of 12 extra base hits and 18 walks in the opener.
"We got a little beside ourselves," Interim head coach Jen Sewell said about the opener. "It was nothing too major, I just don't think we expected the ball to go out of the park like it did. Once the ball was above the stadium, even hits that were typically pop ups for our kids were going out."
Northern Iowa scored the game's first run in the top of the first but Southern answered with a three-spot in the bottom-half of the inning on a three-run home run by Rylie Hamilton. After the Panthers pushed across another run in the top of the second, the Salukis answered with a six-spot in the bottom of the second on a three-run home run by Ashley Wood and a three-run single by Jenny Jansen to go ahead, 9-2.
The Panthers, however, continued to chip away. They plated three runs in the top of the third, two in the fourth and three in the fifth to tie the game at 10-all.Southern immediately responded in the bottom of the fifth, as it loaded the bases with no outs. The Salukis only come away with one run on the bases loaded opportunity and the Panthers made them pay. UNI scored seven runs on six hits in the top of the sixth to take a 17-11 lead. Southern plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth on solo home runs by Sidney Sikes and Elizabeth Warwick but it wasn't enough.
All nine of SIU's starters reached base safely at least once in game one, which included seven with at least one hit.
Game two was more of pitcher's duel, as Sarah Harness and UNI's Kailyn Packard matched wits through the first six innings of the game.
UNI again got out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second, but Southern answered with two runs in the bottom of the third on Jansen's fifth home run of the season. The Panthers immediately responded in the top of the fourth, using a solo home run and an error to plate two and regain the lead.
After the Panthers pushed across five runs in the seventh to break the game open, the Salukis answered with a four-spot in the bottom of the inning and sent the winning run to the plate with two outs but it wasn't meant to be.
"Our offense was comfortable all day long," Sewell said. "A few less defensive mistakes and two or three pitches thrown in the correct spots and those are both different ballgames. When we missed early in both games, we missed too big. These are the two best offenses in the Valley, so when we miss like that, they made us pay."
Southern's potent offense hit .317 (20-for-63) on the day and tallied five home runs and nine walks. 10 Salukis had at least one hit in the doubleheader, which included five different players with a home run. Jansen was 4-for-7 on the day with a home run and five RBI while Wood was 4-for-9 with a home run and six RBI. Jansen's three-run single in game one moved her past Shaye Harre to become SIU's all-time RBI leader.
"I've felt good about this team all year because we are never out of the game," Sewell said. "I truly believe we won't be out of a game for the rest of the year because our offense gives us a chance every time."
The Salukis and the Panthers will close out the three-game series on Sunday at Noon.
