Softball Salukis sweep ISU
TERRE HAUTE, IND. - The Southern Illinois University softball team completed a three-game sweep of the Indiana State Sycamores Saturday. Southern won game one of its Saturday doubleheader, 5-0 behind Claire Miller's two-hit shutout and followed with a 10-4 win in the nightcap. It marked SIU's first three-game sweep of Indiana State since 2011.
"We haven't swept them since 2011, so to get this sweep was huge for us," 20th-year head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "Our play defensively and our pitching set the tone but offensively we were pretty good as well. To get our third-straight sweep in conference play and to do it on the road is pretty big. We need to keep it rolling."
Southern outscored Indiana State, 20-5 in the three-game sweep and hit at a healthy .363 clip for the weekend. SIU's discipline at the plate was on full display Saturday. The Salukis averaged 4.2 pitches per at-bat Saturday and it helped SIU pound out 19 hits, draw 10 walks and get hit by four pitches.
"Jen (Sewell) does a phenomenal job teaching our kids how we want them to approach their at-bats," Blaylock said. "Our kids executed that today and that allowed us to see all of their pitchers, some of which we faced multiple times. That helps- when series get long, we talk about game three being a battle and just having to lock in and be ready for it."
Maddy Vermejan hit .833 (5-for-6) with two doubles, a home run, five runs scored, three RBI and five walks in the sweep of Indiana State while Megan Brown was 4-for-8 with two RBI. Shelby Hodo was a perfect 2-for-2 with two walks and three RBI and was one of nine Salukis to record at least two hits in the series sweep.
In game one, SIU hung a crooked number in the third and added a run in both the fifth and sixth innings to back Miller, who allowed just two hits and struck out six to improve to 7-3 in the circle. It was her second complete game shutout of her Saluki career.
In game two, Brianna Jones went four innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits to earn the win. Miller returned in nightcap and earned a three inning save. For Jones, the win improved her to 17-6 on the season and she moved into a tie with Amy Harre for the most career wins in Saluki history with 84.
Between Miller and Jones, Southern limited Indiana State to just five runs in the three-game series. Only two of the Sycamores' 20 hits on the weekend went for extra bases.
"Claire basically carried (Southwest Baptist) for two years before she transferred here so we felt like she had the stamina to keep throwing," Blaylock said of the decision to bring Miller back for game two. "She wanted the ball back and did a really good job. I thought Bri also did a good job as well to get us to where she did."
In Saturday's first game, Southern jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third. Jenny Jansen and Megan Brown had RBI-singles in the frame while Shelby Hodo drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in a run.
In the top of the fifth, Hodo's RBI-single pushed SIU's lead to 4-0 and Jansen recorded her second RBI-single of the day in the sixth to put Southern ahead, 5-0.
In game two, Southern scored four runs with one out in the top of the first to chase Indiana State's starting pitcher Gabbi Schnaiter. Vermejan took the fourth pitch of the game deep to left field for her third home run of the season. Three-straight walks loaded the bases for SIU and Jordan Spicer made Indiana State pay with a two-run double off the wall in left. Southern scratched across a fourth run on a sacrifice fly by Ashley Wood.
After Indiana State cut SIU's lead in half with a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings, the Salukis responded with a six-run sixth that put the game out of reach.
Brown, Wood and Kyleigh Decker all singled to load the bases with one out in the sixth. Hodo again provided a big lift off the bench, as she found a hole in the defense for an RBI-single. Vermejan followed with a two-run single of her own and Jansen brought everyone home with her fourth home run of the season.
Southern's 11-game road swing continues with a midweek game at SEMO on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.