Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Feb. 24, 2012
Box Score
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - SIUE battled for 17 innings Friday in the opening games of the Easton Bama Bash but dropped a pair of games to North Dakota and East Carolina.
SIUE, 5-5, was defeated by North Dakota State 3-0 and East Carolina 6-5 in 10 innings. The Cougars play the same two teams Saturday with East Carolina at 11 a.m. followed by North Dakota State at 6 p.m.
"We're not getting the clutch hits, making the clutch plays, and playing aggressive like we need to play at this level," said SIUE Head Coach Montgomery.
SIUE showed some signs of strength with a late comeback against East Carolina to send the game to extra innings. The Cougars have outscored their opponents so far this season 13-3 in the seventh inning. Montgomery said the Cougars picked up key hits from Samantha Stanicek, Rachel Coonrod and a key defensive play from Chelsea Yankolovich.
"We need to handle the pressure and embrace those opportunities," Montgomery said.
In Friday's opening game, North Dakota State's Whitney Johnson struck out 10 in the opener and gave up five hits to the Cougars. SIUE had multiple opportunities but left eight runners on base.
The Bison, 7-4, scored all three of their runs unearned off SIUE starter Amanda Lambrecht, who dropped to 2-2. North Dakota State took advantage of three SIUE errors in the third and fourth innings to pick up the win.
In the nightcap, SIUE found itself behind 4-2 in the seventh when Coonrod doubled home Yankolovich and Lindsey Barron to send the game to extra innings. Using the international tiebreaker, East Carolina tallied one run in each of the ninth and 10th innings.
The Cougars would strand 14 baserunners against the Pirates, including three in the eighth inning.
SIUE outhit the Pirates 12-6 with three hits from Barron and two each from Coonrod and left fielder Brittany Toney.
Montgomery said she will continue to keep sending out the players she expects will help the team win and has the bench ready to step in this season. "We have that ability to keep fighting through things," she added.
-siue cougars-
