Friday, May 12, 2017

Southern Illinois University defeated Missouri State, 9-3, in the quarterfinals of the MVC Championship.

Game one featured a couple of huge innings at the plate from SIU and some dominant pitching by All-Conference First-Team selection, Brianna Jones. Missouri State was able to get one run in the top of the first inning and then tack on another in the top of the second to take an early 2-0 lead.

Southern responded in a big way in the bottom half of the second, scoring six runs off of four hits. The inning began with Merri Anne Patterson roping a single into left-center. The Salukis then added a Sydney Jones walk and a Katelyn Massa single to lead the bases. Maddy Vermejan then stepped up and hit a sacrifice fly to easily score Patterson from third. With the game now, 2-1 in favor of MSU, the Salukis piled on the runs. SIU got a huge two-run double from Brandenburg late in the inning to stretch their lead out to four.

SIU put two more on the board in the bottom of the fifth after Shaye Harre blasted a two-run home run. It was Harre's eighth of the season and her 31st of her career and she wasn't done. In the bottom of the sixth she knocked a double into the gap to score SIU's ninth run of the game. It was the Saluki senior's 18th two-bagger of the season, which is now SIU's new single season record, breaking the old record of 17. 

Jones pitched with at least a four run lead from the third inning on and held the Bears in check. She finished the game with two strikeouts, three runs, and only eight hits.