Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

April 5, 2008

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

The Saluki softball team (21-15, 7-3 MVC) extended their win streak to six games with a doubleheader sweep of Indiana State (9-18-1, 2-8 MVC) Saturday afternoon at Charlotte West Stadium. Southern Illinois topped the Sycamores, 7-0, in game one behind a complete-game one-hitter from freshman pitcher Nikki Waters, and won game two, 8-0, in six innings.

The Salukis' pitching staff only allowed four hits, and five baserunners combined in both games to help SIU tie their season-long win streak of six games.

Southern Illinois' offense out-hit Indiana State 17-4 in the two games, with six different batters earning a hit game one, and seven Salukis picking up hits in game two.

SIU will try to complete its second three-game sweep of a Missouri Valley Conference opponent in the series finale at Charlotte West Stadium on Sunday at noon.

Game One - Southern Illinois 7 Indiana State 0
Southern Illinois scored all seven of its runs in two innings, and freshman right-hander Nikki Waters threw a complete-game one-hitter, while striking out a career-best 10 batters to help SIU cruise to a game one victory.

Waters gave up an infield single to the second batter of the game, but from that point on stifled the Sycamores. The Hixson, Tenn. native recorded seven strikeouts through the first four innings, and went on to retire 17-straight Indiana State hitters. She faced one over the minimum 21 batters, nearly missing a perfect game.

"Nikki (Waters) did a super job pitching, and got great backup from our defense," said head coach Kerri Blaylock. "Getting solid pitching really helps the offense, because it allows you to be patient and not press things."

The patient offense through the first three innings got a jump start in the fourth, as junior third baseman put the Salukis up, 1-0, with her eighth home run of the season that carried over the wall in right-center.

"Wags' (Wagner's) home run really unleashed things for us, and she's seeing the ball very well," Blaylock said.

Southern Illinois did unleash things in the ensuing bottom of the fifth. The Salukis sent all nine hitters to the plate to score six runs, on four hits and two Sycamore errors to make the final, 7-0.

Junior utility player Chelsea Petty, who made her first appearance in a game since breaking her thumb against Northwestern on March 1, started the inning with a pinch-hit double, and senior Krystal Stein, and sophomores Alicia Garza and Katie Wilson also recorded hits in the inning to lead the offensive charge.

Waters earned her 11th win of the season, while Indiana State's starter, Meagan McCurdy fell to 5-7 on the year.

Game Two - Southern Illinois 8 Indiana State 0 (6)
The Salukis used a balanced scoring attack, and strong pitching from freshman starter Danielle Glosson to pick up the doubleheader sweep in game two.

Southern Illinois dodged a Sycamore scoring chance to start the game. With runners on the corners and one out, first baseman Britt Boyer lifted a fly ball to right field which was routinely caught by Saluki right fielder Katie Wilson. In an attempt to score from third though, Meredith Simpson, was thrown-out at the plate on a frozen-rope throw by Wilson to end the inning.

The defensive play stopped Indiana State's only scoring chance of the day, as Glosson went on to record four strikeouts, and retired 14 out of the final 17 batters she faced, while only giving up two more hits.

"Danielle (Glosson) did a great job after the first inning," said head coach Kerri Blaylock. "Even if they would have gotten one run, she really minimized the damage and settled in to throw the ball very well."

SIU got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first on a RBI-single by senior Lauren Haas, and pushed another run across in the bottom of the second on a RBI-single by sophomore second baseman Alicia Garza to go up, 2-0.

Southern Illinois added to its lead with a bases-loaded two-RBI single by senior Becky Wegmann, a RBI-double by pinch-hitter Allie Hanson, and another run-scoring single by Garza to cap-off a four run bottom of the third, which put the Salukis up, 6-0.

SIU ended the game in the bottom of the sixth with two more runs from an Indiana State error, and a RBI-single by Haas to make the final, 8-0.

Garza went 3-for-5 with two RBI, Haas went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and Wegmann drove in two runs to lead the Saluki offense, while Glosson picked up her third win of the season in the circle.