Cougars Break Single-Season Wins Record

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

April 17, 2002

       With 10 games left on the regular-season schedule, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville softball team has broken the school record for single-season victories and recorded back-to-back 40-plus winning seasons.
       RyAnn Spann tossed her ninth one-hitter of the season in game one's 6-0 triumph. Dawn Farmer improved to 6-0 as she went the distance in a 4-3, nine-inning thriller.
       SIUE has won 40 games in a season three times, including 2001 when it was 41-17 and one game away from advancing to the final eight and the 1985 season at 40-13 under then Coach Cindy Jones.
       The Cougars, in the midst of a 13-game winning streak, now move on to a pivotal matchup against the top teams in the Great Lakes region at the GLVC-GLIAC Challenge in South Bend, Ind., this weekend. As the top GLVC team, SIUE drew the toughest schedule with the top five Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) teams on the schedule. SIUE also has won 24 of its last 25 games.
       SIUE meets Wayne State, the top GLIAC team, on Friday at 9 p.m. The Cougars plays Northwood, Grand Valley State and Lake Superior State on Saturday. The tournament closes on Sunday with SIUE facing Ashland and Gannon. The tournament pits nine GLVC schools playing head-to-head against 11 teams from the GLIAC, a matchup likely to influence NCAA postseason play.
       On Wednesday, SIUE sparkled as Spann improved her season record to 22-3 with a seven-strikeout effort.
       Erin Newman singled home Jenny Esker in the first inning for the only run the Cougars would need. SIUE added three more in the fifth as Koree Claxton doubled home two runs to highlight the inning. SIUE scored two more runs, both unearned, in the sixth off Lincoln starter-loser Donna Calbert.
       The Cougars made it exciting in game two. Lincoln jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the sixth as Nicole Forck singled home Talia Parsons, who had led off with a double.
       SIUE clawed back in the top of the seventh as Jenny Esker ripped her ninth home run of the season, a two-run blast, to tie the game.
       Esker later picked up the game-winning RBI in the ninth. She doubled to left field driving home Amanda Farmer from second base.
              -siue-

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Players Mentioned

#5 Koree Claxton: C/OF; Sophomore

#16 Erin Newman: 3B; Junior

#12 Jenny Esker: OF; Sophomore

#31 Dawn Farmer: P; Senior

Players Mentioned

#5 Koree Claxton
: Sophomore
: C/OF

#16 Erin Newman
: Junior
: 3B

#12 Jenny Esker
: Sophomore
: OF

#31 Dawn Farmer
: Senior
: P