Feb. 26, 2010

OXFORD, Miss. - SIUE rallied for a dozen runs in the final two innings Friday to open up the 2010 Red and Blue Classic with a pair of victories.

The Cougars, now 4-7 overall, scored six runs in the sixth and six more in the seventh to rally past Murray State 13-8. SIUE also picked up a short-game victory over Centenary 8-0 in five innings. SIUE next plays Mississippi in its first game Saturday at noon. The Classic then moves to a tournament format for one more game Saturday and another on Sunday.

Erika Taylor picked up the victory in both games Friday. She tossed a one-hit shutout in the opener, allowing the lone hit with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. The game against Centenary was shortened due to the eight-run rule.

Taylor recorded her fourth win of the season with a two-inning relief appearance against Murray State.

"She threw well," noted SIUE Coach Sandy Montgomery. "She did a good job of coming in and shutting them (Murray State) down." Taylor finished the day with 11 strikeouts in seven innings of work and gave up just four hits.

In the Centenary game, Lauren Zembruski put the Cougars ahead with a three-run homer. "She hit a ball that was in her zone. That was just huge coming off the week we just had," said Montgomery.

Zembruski would add another RBI in the second inning on an infield out.

SIUE rallied for four runs in the top of the fifth. Kasey Schlafke and Megan Murphy each turned in two-RBI hits for the Cougars.

The Cougar offense didn't get off to as good of a start in the second game of the day. Down 3-0, SIUE scored its first run in the fourth inning as Laurie Siebert singled home Zembruski. Murray State, playing in the first game of the program's history, put the Cougars on the defensive with a four-run rally in the fifth inning.

SIUE would overcome a 7-1 deficit against its future Ohio Valley Conference rival by tying the game in the sixth. After two walks by Murray State starter Kristen Broadway to start the inning, the Racers brought in Chelsey Sullivan to pitch.

Sullivan would add three walks, one hit and two wild pitches that led to a 7-7 ball game.

After sending 10 batters to the plate in the sixth, SIUE would do it again in the seventh. This time the Cougars collected a handful of timely hits, including an RBI single by Chaleen Rumpf, an RBI single by Whitney Davis and a two-run double by Schlafke.

"We have to continue to work on our confidence level. When we get it together, we can swing the bat," said Montgomery.

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