SIUE Softball Celebrates on Senior Day

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

April 14, 2002

       It was the final home game of the season at Cougar Field for three Southern Illinois University Edwardsville senior softball players. They made the most of it.
       With three home runs in two games, including one from senior Erin Newman (Fairfield, Calif.), No. 3-ranked SIUE cruised to an 8-2 and a 5-2 sweep over Missouri-Rolla. SIUE has now won 11 straight games and 22 of its last 23 games. The wins give SIUE a 40-7 record, giving this 2002 team the distinction of having made it to 40 wins faster than any other Cougar softball team.
       Coach Sandy Montgomery and her softball Cougars set the school record for wins last season at 41-17, coming within one game of advancing to the final eight in the nation. SIUE's 1985 team, under then head coach Cindy Jones, was the first to win 40 games at 40-13.
       The Cougars dispensed with the Lady Miners in typical fashion -- with timely hitting and sharp pitching.
       RyAnn Spann (Bethalto) recorded her 21st victory in the opener, allowing six hits and striking out four. Senior Dawn Farmer (Columbia) also scattered six hits in the nightcap to improve her season record to 5-0.
       Sophomore Jenny Esker (Steeleville) set the pace as SIUE's leadoff hitter, blasting a pitch off starter loser Amanda Weingartner over the scoreboard in left field. It was the first leadoff homer of Esker's career.
       SIUE was briefly behind after Missouri-Rolla tallied once in each of the third and fourth innings. But the Cougar bats erupted for four runs in the fifth and three more in sixth.
       Missouri-Rolla jumped on Farmer for one run in the first inning of the nightcap. Amanda Jessen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. SIUE's Koree Claxton (Rantoul) picked up a ascarifice fly, scoring Esker to tie the game 1-1.
       The Cougars took the lead for good in the third on Newman's two-run home run, scoring fellow senior Valarie McCoy (Bethalto). In her final home game, Newman blasted career No. 42, a school record by 22 homers.
       Missy Koenig got into the act with a homer to right field to close out SIUE's scoring in the sixth.
       SIUE travels to Lincoln on Wednesday for a doubleheader with the Blue Tigers. Game time is set for 2 p.m. The Cougars also are anxious to learn the schedule early this week for the tournament next weekend in South Bend, Ind. The tournament pits nine Great Lakes Valley Conference schools playing head-to-head against 11 teams from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference, a matchup which could influence NCAA postseason play.
              -siue-

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Players Mentioned

#5 Koree Claxton: C/OF; Sophomore

#4 Missy Koenig: P; Freshman

#16 Erin Newman: 3B; Junior

#12 Jenny Esker: OF; Sophomore

#31 Dawn Farmer: P; Senior

Players Mentioned

#5 Koree Claxton
: Sophomore
: C/OF

#4 Missy Koenig
: Freshman
: P

#16 Erin Newman
: Junior
: 3B

#12 Jenny Esker
: Sophomore
: OF

#31 Dawn Farmer
: Senior
: P