Southern Illinois University
7-7
Northwestern University
13-4
Eberle’s two-hitter in win over Northern Kentucky highlights SIU’s day two split at Coach B Classic
03/05/2022 | 6:25:00 | Softball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University softball team split a pair of games on day two of the Coach B Classic Saturday. Southern lost a pitcher's duel, 1-0 to No. 17 Northwestern to open the day but came back to down Northern Kentucky, 4-0 behind a two-hitter from Madi Eberle.
"Today was just good softball," interim head coach Jen Sewell said. "Can't complain about the Northwestern game because they came in as hot as they have been all season and Sarah pitched so well and followed the scouting report to a T. She trusted herself today. That was some of the best seven innings that Sarah has put together. Madi is pretty much living on a fastball right now and it shows what she can do when she throws hard and hits her spots."
The story of the day was Southern's pitching. Sarah Harness and Eberle combined to allow just one earned run over 14 innings and surrendered just seven total hits between them while walking just one and striking out seven. The defense behind Harness and Eberle was solid as well, as the Salukis committed just one error. SIU's offense got contributions from throughout its lineup, as seven different players tallied a hit and nine different Salukis reached base during the doubleheader.
"We've been talking about how we need to play more consistent over the course of a doubleheader because that is the way we have to do it in the Valley," Sewell said. "Sometimes we let up the energy from game one to two. But today I thought we played a strong 14 innings. That was the most consistent we have been. It came from different people, which I liked."
In the win over the Norse, Eberle carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning and faced just three over the minimum. After both teams traded zeros through the game's first three innings, Southern struck for a pair of runs in the fourth and sixth innings to do its damage.
Sidney Sikes was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth. Bailey Caylor moved her to second with a bunt single and a two-out walk to Ashley Wood loaded the bases for Aubree DePron. DePron promptly laced a single up the middle to plate two runs.
In the sixth inning, DePron came through again. After Caylor led off the frame with a single, DePron roped a two-out single up the middle to score her from third.
DePron was the straw that stirred the drink for SIU's offense in the win. She had a career-best three hits and collected all three of SIU's RBI. The Blanchard, Okla. native just missed a chance at going 4-for-4, as she appeared to reach base safely on an infield hit in the bottom of the first but was called out for leaving the batter's box early.
"That just shows how much Aubree has matured as a player," Sewell said. "In her first two years if she had been called out of the box it would've been an issue. But now she just erases that at-bat from her memory and goes back to hitting. She readjusts her feet and gets back after it whereas before that might have started a string of rough at-bats."
Eberle improved to 3-3 on the season with the two-hit shutout. It marked the third time already this season that Eberle has thrown five or more innings and allowed two or fewer hits.
Against Northwestern, Harness held the potent Wildcat bats in check for most of the contest. The junior hurler limited Northwestern to just five hits, which were the second-fewest for the Wildcats against an unranked foe this season. Of Northwestern's five hits, only one- a double to leadoff the third inning- went for extra bases. The Wildcats' one run, meanwhile, is tied for the fewest it has scored in a game this season.
Southern had its chances against All-Big Ten First Team pitcher Danielle Williams. Southern loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the second but came up empty. Down to their final out, DePron laced a single, Wood drew a walk and both moved up a base on a wild pitch but Southern couldn't get the big hit it needed to push a run across.
Alexis Rudd got her first career hit in the second inning to momentarily upstage her older sister, Northwestern catcher Jordyn Rudd. But older sister got the last laugh, as her RBI-single in the third inning was the difference.
The Salukis close out the Coach B Classic tomorrow when they take on Murray State at 4:45 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Williams, Danielle (8-1)
L: Harness, Sarah (4-4)
Batting:
2B: Nieto, Grace 1
RBI: Rudd, Jordyn 1
SH: Caldrone, Lauren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nieto, Grace 1
HBP: Rudd, Jordyn 1
Batting:
2B: Wood, Ashley 1
Base Running:
CS: Wood, Ashley 1
HBP: Wood, Ashley 1 ; Jansen, Jenny 1 ; Sikes, Sidney 1
