Southern Illinois University
Missouri State University
Salukis host Bears on Wednesday
04/26/2022 | 4:54:00 | Softball
The Southern Illinois University softball team continues it homestand when it welcomes the Missouri State Bears to Charlotte West Stadium on Wednesday, April 27. The rubber match between the two programs is set to begin at Noon. The Salukis and Bears split a doubleheader at Missouri State on March 16, as the Salukis took the opener, 6-2 in 15 innings before the Bears squeaked out a 2-1 victory in the nightcap.
All-time vs. the Bears
- The Bears lead the all-time series, 56-55 dating back to 1976.
- The two teams split the first two games of the series at Missouri State earlier this season.
- Tori Schullian's grand slam in the 15th inning and Sarah Harness' complete game effort led Southern to a 6-2 win in the opener. The Bears edged out the Salukis, 2-1 in the nightcap.
- Missouri State won both games at Carbondale a year ago- the third game of the series was cancelled.
- The Salukis are looking for their first series win over the Bears since 2017.
Weekly honors
- Sarah Harness earned her first MVC Pitcher of the Week honor this season while Emma Austin was named the MVC Newcomer of the Week for the first time in her career.
- Harness went 2-0 with a 0.70 earned run average in 20 innings of work last week. The 2022 Preseason All-MVC selection allowed just two earned runs in her four appearances. She surrendered 17 hits, of which just three went for extra bases, and struck out 13.
- Austin, meanwhile, slashed .533/.667/.533 in SIU's four games last week. The freshman outfielder tallied a triple, four runs, four RBI and two stolen bases. She tallied at least one hit in all four games, which included three multi-hit games.Â
- For Harness, it marks her eighth MVC Pitcher of the Week honor of her career while Austin was named MVC Newcomer of the Week for the first time.
Still doing new things
- Jenny Jansen has reached base in 30-straight games, which is the longest streak of her career and the longest by a Saluki since at least 2003.Â
- The Warrenton, Mo. native, who had a 22-game reached base streak during the 2021 season, joins Alicia Garza and Mallory Duran-Sellers as the only Salukis with multiple 20-game reached base steaks since 2003.Â
- Jansen currently leads the MVC in on-base percentage (.500), RBI (39) and walks (32). She also ranks in the top-10 in batting average (3rd; .374), OPS (6th; 1.065), slugging percentage (10th; .565), hits (2nd; 49) and home runs (7th; 7).
Top of the Class
Southern currently leads the Valley in a slew of statistical categories including: batting average (.290), double plays per game (.43), hits (337), on-base percentage (.404), scoring (6.08) and walks (186).
