Softball: Saluki pitching wastes Aces
March 21, 2007
SIU softball’s pitching staff continues to give opposing offenses nightmares.
The No. 20 Salukis remain undefeated in conference play, improving to 5-0 after winning two games against the Evansville Aces on Tuesday at Cooper Stadium.
Senior pitchers Ashley Hamby and Cassidy Scoggins combined to throw 18 strikeouts and they gave up only three runs in the double header.
Advertisement
Hamby pitched in the 6-2 victory in the second game, striking out six to improve to 11-3. The only two runs for Evansville came off a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning and a solo homerun in the sixth.
SIU’s offense did its damage in the second and third inning, scoring four of its six runs. Catcher Jayme Wamsley hit a two-run homer in the third inning, part of a four-RBI day for the sophomore.
Wamsley leads SIU (23-6) with 20 RBIs.
“It’s just a matter of having confidence in yourself and being able to have teammates that believe in you,” Wamsley said. “I just get up there and pretend like it is batting practice, really.”
The other two runs came in the second inning courtesy of a pair of two-out RBI singles from junior outfielders Tiffanie Dismore and Krystal Stein.
Scoggins, who was named MVC Pitcher of the Week, threw in the first game of the doubleheader, striking out 10 while allowing three hits and one run. Scoggins, who is 10-3 on the season and second all time at SIU in wins, surpassed the 100-strikeout mark for the season on Tuesday.
Scoggins said her ability to strikeout so many people comes from her coaches.
Advertisement*
“I’ve really been trying to mix up my pitches and throw more on the inside,” Scoggins said. “Definitely when our team can score three runs in the first inning it gives you more confidence as a pitcher.”
The pitching carried the Salukis to a 3-1 victory, with all runs scored in the first inning.
Freshman second baseman Alicia Garza had a leadoff double to start the game, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Dismore. First baseman Lauren Hass came through with a single to score Garza, followed by a double from Wamsley that drove in two more runs.
The first inning offensive surge caused Evansville to make a pitching change one out into the game. Sophomore Ashley Hobbs came into the game to relieve junior Jacki Bradley, and went on to shut out the Salukis for the rest of the game, giving up only three hits.
Hobbs threw 167 pitches during the day.
SIU coach Kerri Blaylock said she was pleased with the Salukis’ performance.
“I think we came out early and set the tone in the first game,” Blaylock said. “We got much more aggressive in the second game and we were able to string together several hits in a row.”
Advertisement
