Cougars Advance With Pair of Victories

Box Score

May 3, 2002

       ROMEOVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville used the long ball to advance at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Softball Championships
       Jenny Esker (Steeleville) and Erin Newman (Fairfield, Calif.) both hit solo home runs in SIUE's 2-1 victory over Southern Indiana. The Cougars, the top seed in the tournament, defeated eighth-seeded Wisconsin-Parkside 2-1 earlier in the day.
       SIUE 47-9, advances in the winner's bracket to play host Lewis in a 3 p.m. game Saturday. Lewis blanked both Saint Joseph's and Missouri-St. Louis. If the Cougars win that game, they play in the championship on Sunday. A loss to Lewis on Saturday would put the Cougars in an elimination game on Saturday evening.
       The Cougars, ranked No. 2 in the nation in the USA Today/NFCA NCAA Division II poll, flexed their muscles on Friday.
       Missy Koenig (Mapleton) scattered six hits in the tournament opener for the Cougars. She struck out three, walked one and improved her season record to 16-4.
       The Cougars got on the board first with an unearned run scored by Esker. Newman picked up a sacrifice fly to give SIUE a 1-0 lead.
       Wisconsin-Parkside tied the game 1-1 in the third as Ashley Tryba singled home Kim Crettol.
       SIUE were held to three hits by UWP starter-loser Jennifer Mayer. Melissa Lindgren (Frankfort) drew a two-out walk as did Veronica Schmidt (Westmont). Samantha Easterley (Belleville) drove home the eventual game-winner with a single through the left side of the infield, scoring Lindgren from second.
       In the Cougars' second game, RyAnn Spann (Bethalto), 24-5, stopped Southern Indiana on three hits. Southern Indiana's biggest was Ginnie Roberts' first home run of the season. SIUE had picked up the first run as Newman belted her seventh of the season, a blast to left center field.
       Esker picked up her team-leading 11th home run in the fifth inning. Esker's homer was just fair down the left-field line.
              -siue-

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Players Mentioned

#4 Missy Koenig: P; Freshman

#18 Melissa Lindgren: OF; Freshman

#16 Erin Newman: 3B; Junior

#25 Samantha Easterley: OF; Freshman

#12 Jenny Esker: OF; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#4 Missy Koenig
: Freshman
: P

#18 Melissa Lindgren
: Freshman
: OF

#16 Erin Newman
: Junior
: 3B

#25 Samantha Easterley
: Freshman
: OF

#12 Jenny Esker
: Sophomore
: OF