In its second doubleheader of the UTSA Softball Classic, the SIU softball team split for the second straight day.

On Saturday morning the Salukis defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in game one and came up on the wrong side of a no-hitter against Abilene Christian in game two.

Game one

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Behind a complete game from junior pitcher Brianna Jones, SIU went on to claim its second win of the tournament. While striking out 8, she allowed only one run, one hit and one walk in the victory.

While Jones — who struck out eight, allowed one run, one hit and one walk in the game — kept the Islanders in check, TAMUCC did the same to Southern throughout the first two innings.

Then, sophomore second basemen Maddy Vermejan blasted a two-run home run in the top of the third inning that put SIU on the scoreboard.

In the fourth, junior first baseman Kyleigh Decker hit a triple and senior shortstop Savannah Fisher drove her home on a single.

A&M-CC responded in the bottom of the fourth, however, and posted its first run on a fielder’s choice.

Following a scoring drought in the fifth and sixth innings, senior third baseman Sydney Jones belted a two-out two-run home run that increased SIU’s lead in the seventh.

A perfect frame from Brianna Jones in the seventh sealed the 5-1 victory for SIU.

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Game two

After SIU defeated ACU in the first game of the season last night, the Wildcats were prepared to get revenge on the Salukis in Saturday’s rematch.

ACU senior pitcher Hannah Null dominated Southern all afternoon in a game that was decided by the mercy rule.

If Null hadn’t pegged Vermejan with a pitch in the fourth inning, she would have recorded a five-inning perfect game. Despite that, Null completed the no-hitter with seven strikeouts.

Senior pitcher Savannah Dover struggled to find her rhythm all afternoon. She allowed two runs early in the second, followed by five more in the third.

In the bottom half of the fifth inning, the Wildcats blasted a two-run home run which proved to be a walk-off home run, as it cued the mercy rule with a 9-0 victory.

The Salukis play their final game of the UTSA Softball Classic tomorrow morning against Seton Hall. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m.

Sports writer Ryan Demer can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @RyanDemer_DE 

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