March 17, 2008

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

ST. LOUIS - The Missouri Valley Conference announced Saluki third baseman, Katie Wagner, as the State Farm MVC Player of the Week for the second consecutive week on Monday, following her performance in the conference-opening series against Northern Iowa.

Wagner, who was named player of the week for the first time in her career last Monday, March 10, hit 4-for-5 (.800), with three home runs, four runs batted in, four runs scored, and a pair of walks to help Southern Illinois sweep its three-game series with UNI.

She opened the series with another career-day at the plate, going 2-for-2 with two solo home runs. She was also walked in her third at-bat, and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly for the game-winning run in the Salukis' 4-3 win on Saturday. It was the second time in as many weeks, and the third time in her career that she recorded two home runs in a game, and set a personal-best with three runs scored.

The Mt. Vernon, Ill. native provided more offense in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader, going 2-for-3 with another solo home run in the bottom of the first, and driving in another run on a single up the middle.

This is the third time this season a Saluki has been named player of the week by the league office. Prior to Wagner's back-to-back awards, sophomore outfielder, Katie Wilson, earned the weekly honor on Feb. 18, following the first two tournaments of the season.

The Southern Illinois softball team hosts Southeast Missouri State on Tuesday, March 18 at 3 p.m. for a single game at Charlotte West Stadium, before continuing Missouri Valley Conference play at Wichita State this Friday and Saturday, March 21-22 in Wichita, Kan.

SIU vs. SEMO Game Notes