EDWARDSVILLE, ILL. -- For the second year in a row, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville softball team has won Cougar Classic.
         The Cougars defeated Ferris State 7-0 and Missouri Western 9-3 to improve to 7-3 on the year.
         The Bulldogs drop to 0-4 on the year, while the Griffons are 4-2 for the season.
         Sabra McCune picked up her second consecutive shutout in the win against Ferris State, giving up two hits while striking out nine. McCune is now 4-2 on the season after not giving up a single run in 16 innings of the Cougar Classic. McCune notched a save against the Griffons as she struckout 16 batters during the Classic.
         In the first contest, SIUE jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning as a Holly Neuerberg smashed a home run into a stiff northern wind. The Cougars picked up three more runs on an RBI single by Shanna Waldo, before Alicia DeShasier drove in two more runs with a single through the left side.
         SIUE added a run in the fourth inning and two runs in the sixth to preserve the win.
         In the nightcap, SIUE gained a 3-0 lead after two innings. Missouri Western came back with three runs on four hits in the fourth inning to tie the contest. SIUE regained the lead on a double by Libby Lenart that scored DeShasier. The Cougars then erupted for five runs in the sixth inning that was capped by a Libby Lenart two-run single.
         DeShasier went 4-7 in the two games with three RBIs and three runs scored. DeShasier collected hits in each game, and she now has a 10-game hitting streak.
         Libby Lenart went 5-7 on the day collecting three RBIs.
         The Cougars will be back in action this Tuesday as St. Mary of the Woods visits Cougar Field for a doubleheader at 2 p.m.                 -siue-