Box Score
CARBONDALE, Ill.—The University of Evansville softball team picked up its first conference road win of the season as the defeated Southern Illinois, 8-2, in the final game of a three-game series on Thursday evening at Charlotte West Stadium.
“We talked earlier in the week that we have 10 days left to change some things,” said head coach Gwen Lewis. “We know that we are competitive and that we have to prove to ourselves that we are capable. What was key today was that we didn’t start out so great, but we kept our composure and did all the little things right. This whole series with SIU has been close, and we are happy to come away with a win.”
It got off to a rough start as the Salukis laid down back-to-back bunt singles from Chelsea Held and Haley Gorman to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Alicia Garza moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt, and then Katie Wagner gave the Salukis a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly.
The Aces came back with three runs in the third inning. After Krista Price walked, a popout, and a double by Jen Stahlhut, Kylie Wagner belted her fifth home run of the season to pick up three RBI and extend her hitting streak to 10 games.
Price made it a 4-1 lead with her home run to left with a full count to lead off the fifth inning. Following the home run, Kristen Shirk singled, Stahlhut walked, and then Wagner singled to load the bases. After a pitching change, Amanda Ockomon picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly, and Maggie Little hit a two-run single to make the lead, 7-1.
The Aces got their final run in the top of the seventh inning on a ball hit by Little that was misplayed by the Salukis’ shortstop that allowed pinch runner Amy Gaertner to score from second base.
The Salukis mounted a rally in the seventh inning with singles by Wilson, Jayme Wamsley and Alicia Junker to load the bases with one out. Mallory Duran picked up a RBI on a sacrifice fly to score Wilson. The Salukis fell short as the game ended on a hit by Gorman that hit Junker on her way to second base.
The Aces picked up 10 hits off of the Salukis’ three pitchers, the most given up by the team in conference play. Four Aces had two hits days, including Stahlhut with two doubles to add to her league-leading 13. Wagner had two hits and two runs scored with three RBI in the game, while Little and Shirk each had two hits. Lissa Fehlman also had a base hit in her four trips to the plate.
Wagner picked up her sixth win of the season, tossing the complete game and giving up tow runs on nine hits with a strikeout.
Katie McNamara took the loss, giving up three runs on five hits in two and a third innings. Nikki Waters and Danielle Glosson gave up a combined five runs on five hits with two strikeouts.
The Aces (11-28, 3-14) will wrap up their conference road schedule with a three-game series at Indiana State beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m.
