Box Score

March 7, 2008

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

HONOLULU - Following a 0-2 start in the first day of the Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament, the Southern Illinois softball team busted out the bats in Friday's first game against Idaho State, defeating the Bengals, 14-1, in five innings. The Saluki offense tied a season-best with 14 runs, and set a season-high with five extra-base hits.

Senior first baseman, Lauren Haas, tied a career-high with five runs batted in while setting a season-high with four hits including a double. Sophomore outfielder Katie Wilson hit her third home run of the season and second in the tournament, and junior third baseman Katie Wagner went 2-for-3 with two RBI.

The Salukis (11-9) have now scored 14 runs in three separate games this season. SIU posted 14 against Jacksonville on Feb. 9, and against UT-Martin on Feb. 23 this season prior to the 14-1 victory against Idaho State.

"The top of our batting order is very focused right now, and I was very pleased with the way each of them got everything rolling offensively today," SIU head coach Kerri Blaylock said. "The offense snowballed with big hits, and we just have to keep that going."

A day after Hawaii scored all four of its runs with two outs against the Salukis, Idaho State followed suit in the top of the first.

With two outs and runners on first and second, the Bengals' third baseman, Wailana Buchana, lined an RBI-single into center field to put ISU up, 1-0.

The run would be the only bright spot in the game for Idaho State (1-10), as Waters silenced the Bengals' offense for the remainder of the contest. The freshman right-handed hurler only allowed two hits, while retiring 13 out of the last 15 batters she faced in the final four frames.

Haas drove in senior outfielder Krystal Stein from third base, who led-off the game with a single, to even the score, 1-1, with one out. From that point on, the Salukis never looked back.

Wilson, the next batter, blasted a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left center field for a three-run home run to give the Salukis the lead that they would never lose, 4-1.

SIU added five more runs in the opening inning on an RBI-single by freshman Chelsea Held, a two-RBI single by Wagner, and a two-RBI double by Haas to give Southern Illinois a healthy, 9-1, lead.

The Salukis added another run in the bottom of the second on a hard-hit line drive by sophomore designated player Allie Hanson that was dropped by the Bengals' left fielder. The error allowed senior Becky Wegmann to score, putting SIU up, 10-1.

Haas drove in another run in the bottom of the third on a single, and junior catcher Jayme Wamsley posted a RBI with a sacrifice fly to left field to increase SIU's lead, 12-1 after three innings.

The final two Saluki runs came in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI-double by freshman Cristina Trapani and another RBI-single by Haas to make the final 14-1.

Trapani's pinch-hit RBI-double was her first-career extra-base hit and RBI.

Waters earned her sixth win of the season in the circle to help end the Salukis' five-game losing streak.

SIU will conclude the second day of competition at the Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament in an exhibition game against the Netherlands National Team at 4 p.m. HT.