Box Score

April 6, 2008

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Senior first baseman Lauren Haas delivered a two-out, two-run double to right-center field in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift the Salukis to a, 2-0, victory against Indiana State Sunday afternoon at Charlotte West Stadium. The win extended their win streak to a season-long seven games, and perfect 8-0 at home in Missouri Valley Conference play.

Southern Illinois improved to 22-15 overall and 8-3 in the league, while Indiana State dropped its sixth straight game to fall to 9-19-1, and 2-9 in the Valley.

The series finale featured a rematch of starting pitchers from the first game of the series, with Meagan McCurdy for the Sycamores and Nikki Waters for SIU, dueling in the circle.

Both hurlers started strong to hold the game scoreless through five innings. McCurdy struck out four batters, and did not give up a hit until the fourth inning, while Waters only allowed three hits and fanned three hitters through four innings of play.

With game still scoreless into the bottom of the sixth, junior leftfielder Katie Schmidt lined a lead-off double into the right field corner to begin the Saluki rally.

Senior centerfielder, Krystal Stein, followed one batter later with a one-out infield single, before junior Katie Wagner popped-out, to give SIU two-outs, with two runners on for Haas.

With a 1-0 count, Haas smashed a double into the gap in right center to drive in two runs, and the eventual game-winner.

The double capped-off a stellar series for Haas, who went 5-for-9 at the plate with four RBI, and two runs scored to raise her batting average to .361 (35-for-97) this season.

Waters went on to retire the Sycamores in order in the top of the seventh with her sixth strikeout against the final batter she faced to end the game, 2-0.

The Hixson, Tenn. native picked up her 12th win of the season, and has now gone 24-straight innings without giving up a run, and thrown three complete-game shutouts in her last three starts.

McCurdy (5-8) took the loss for Indiana State, while only allowing five hits with five strikeouts in six innings.

Southern Illinois will be back in action on the road for a midweek game at Evansville at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, before traveling to Drake for a three-game series next weekend, April 12-13.