Box Score

March 22, 2008

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

WICHITA, Kan. - The Saluki softball team lost a pitchers' duel, 1-0, in the final game of their three-game series at Wichita State Saturday afternoon. Freshman starter Nikki Waters took the loss despite only giving up four hits in six innings, and senior first baseman Lauren Haas tied a career-high with two doubles.

Southern Illinois lost all three games, and was swept for the first time in a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series for the first time since joining the MVC in 1993.

Waters, who pitched a superb game, had one slip-up in the bottom of the fifth inning.

With no score, Wichita State's third baseman, Jamie Hull drilled a 3-2 pitch over the leftfield wall for her fourth home run of the season to give the Shockers a 1-0 lead, and the eventual game-winning run.

The run ended up unearned though, because Hull's popup in the previous pitch was dropped in foul territory, which extended her at-bat.

The Salukis had one last chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the seventh. With one out, Haas clubbed her second double into right-center field to give the Salukis hope, but Wichita State starter Ashly Bright closed out the game on back-to-back fly outs to tarnish the SIU comeback attempt.

It was the second complete-game shutout in as many days for Bright after hurling a shutout in WSU's 7-0 win in the first game on Friday.

Southern Illinois had the first and best scoring opportunity of the game in the top of the second inning, with two runners on and one out.

Senior first baseman Lauren Haas extended her team-high hit streak to four games on a lead-off double into the gap in left-center field, and sophomore second baseman Alicia Garza drew a walk, but Bright worked around the jam with a strikeout, and a groundout to end the inning.

Waters never really had to work out of a jam in the entire ballgame, and other than giving up a lead-off single to start the game, she stifled the Shockers' hitters and retired seven-straight batters at one point through the first four innings.

Waters also posted two strikeouts, and got defensive help from right fielder Katie Wilson who threw-out a runner at first, after catching a pop fly with her back against the wall to complete the double-play.

Southern Illinois will step away from MVC play to travel to Eastern Illinois for a doubleheader on Thursday, March 27 beginning at 3 p.m., before taking on Illinois State for a three-game series at home Saturday and Sunday, March 29-30.