Southern Illinois University
5-0
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Kansas
3-3
Salukis Take Down Kansas in Game One of PV Challenge
02/15/2023 | 4:51:00 | Softball
Puerto Vallarta, MX - The Southern Illinois Salukis got started at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge early Wednesday afternoon with a 12:00 p.m. start against the Kansas Jayhawks. The Salukis managed to remain unbeaten taking down the Jayhawks 5-2 and improving to 5-0 on the season.Â
Junior Madi Eberle continued to dominate in the circle as she earned her third win of the season (3-0). Eberle made her first start of the year while also throwing her first complete game of the season, giving up just five hits and one earned run. Through 19 innings pitched, she's given up just one earned run for a 0.37 ERA in the 2023 season.Â
"Madi Eberle wasn't perfect but she was really good," said head coach Jen Sewell. "That's an example of her not giving into the emotion of trying to strike people out. Her job is to get them out. Strikeouts sometimes drive up the pitch count. And she threw to the defense today instead of chasing the strikeout."Â
Southern scored in the first inning for the third time this year after Jackie Lis doubled off the left field wall and was brought home on the very next at-bat from Rylie Hamilton. The Salukis lead would soon be erased however as an error from Southern gave the Jayhawks their first run of the game in the third.Â
"We actually made some mental mistakes and still felt good in the game. Even down 2-1 we felt good I could tell. They will not be intimidated by any game. We are gonna play ball on our terms," explained Sewell.Â
The fourth inning saw plenty of action as Kansas got on the board again to take the lead. That lead wouldn't last long however as Southern loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth and made the most of the opportunity. Working a full count with two outs, pinch hitter Tori Schullian remained disciplined and drew an RBI walk to tie the game at 2-2. Following Schullian's walk, Elizabeth Warwick struck an 0-1 pitch to the right center wall and cleared the bases with a double to regain Southern's lead 5-2.Â
"The biggest at-bat of the game was the Tori Schullian walk to tie the game. Huge at-bat by a veteran hitter really sticking to our offensive philosophy," emphasized Coach Sewell. "Liz Warwick continues to shine at the plate. I'm so proud of her. Her teammates are so proud of her."
The Salukis recorded a season-high .333 average in the win with nine hits amongst six different Salukis. In all but one inning Southern had at least one base runner, applying pressure to the Kansas defense consistently. Aubree DePron amongst others continued to shine, going 2-for-3, as she has now recorded multiple hits in all five of SIU's games.Â
"Our lefty lineup was really good - Warwick, DePron, Austin, and Caylor do exactly what we asked of them. Use the ground and force the defense," said Sewell.Â
The Salukis will continue play at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge Thursday, Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. against Ole Miss on FloSoftball.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Eberle, Madi (3-0)
L: Brooks, Katie (1-2)
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Batting:
3B: Moore, Lyric 1
RBI: Moore, Lyric 1 ; Marshall, Natalie 1
SH: Harper, Haleigh 1
SF: Marshall, Natalie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DesRochers, Savanna 1 ; Price, Angela 1
Batting:
2B: Warwick, Elizabeth 1 ; Lis, Jackie 1
RBI: Warwick, Elizabeth 3 ; Hamilton, Rylie 1 ; Schullian, Tori 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lis, Jackie 1 ; DePron, Aubree 1 ; Austin, Emma 1 ; Caylor, Bailey 1 ; Schullian, Tori 1
SB: DePron, Aubree 1 ; Austin, Emma 1
