 | Softball |
SIUE Softball SIUE Athletics | |
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 Nicole Beecher UWP Boxscore |
May 2, 2008 SIUE Rolls Into GLVC Finals EAST PEORIA, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville softball outlasted the weather and cruised into a spot in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament finals with an 11-5 victory over Wisconsin-Parkside. The Cougars, 44-9, have now won 17 consecutive games heading into Saturday's finals. UW-Parkside and Indianapolis were battling late Friday night for the opportunity to meet SIUE in the championship game of the double-elimination tournament. GLVC Pitcher of the Year and SIUE starter Kaitlin Colosimo improved her record to 26-5 as she struck out seven. SIUE left fielder Nicole Beecher put the Cougars on top early. Lauren Zembruski singled with one out in the first inning. Beecher launched a ball to right center off UWP starter-loser Megan Shimkus, giving SIUE a 2-0 lead. The Cougars pushed the lead to six runs in the bottom of the fifth. Courtney Mall singled and moved to second on a sacrifice by Zembruski. After an Ashley Price single put runners at the corners, Beecher dropped a squeeze bunt to drive in Mall. Kaeleigh Rousey then homered for the eighth time this season, tying Ruggles for the team lead. Rousey's two-run homer was followed by a home run by Lindsay Longfellow, a solo shot. UW-Parkside answered with four runs in the top of the sixth. Katrina Homa's two-run single highlighted the inning. UWP pulled within two, but the Cougars topped the Rangers, countering with five runs in the sixth. Mall and Price provided RBIs, an infield error with the bases loaded added two runs, and wild pitch scored another. Friday's games had been delayed twice during the day because of rain. On Saturday, SIUE will play for its third consecutive GLVC crown. Game time is scheduled for noon at the EastSide Centre. -siue- |