Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE extended its season-best winning streak to 10 games Sunday with a pair of shutouts over visiting Belmont.
The softball Cougars improved to 27-8 overall and 11-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 5-0 win and a 2-0 win over the Bruins, 12-21 and 2-11 in the OVC. The 10-game winning streak is SIUE's best since the 2010 season, the Cougars' first season with a Division I schedule.
"We're very happy. Any time you come out of the weekend 4-0 – that's what we're looking for," said SIUE Head Coach Sandy Montgomery.
SIUE freshman Haley Chambers got the Cougars going in game one with her 12th straight victory and fifth shutout of the season.
The SIUE offense collected 10 hits in game one with three RBIs from Alex McDavid. Her single in the first inning provided the eventual game-winning RBI. She added a two-RBI single in the fourth inning.
"Haley threw well with 11 strikeouts. We got timely hits when we needed them," Montgomery said.
Rachel Coonrod led SIUE with three hits in game one while Samantha Stanicek added two hits.
"We didn't come out as aggressively as we usually do," Stanicek said. The Cougars, however, were consistent in game one with at least one hit in each inning.
Erin Greenwalt outdueled Belmont's Mia Vierra in game two. Greenwalt picked up her third shutout of the season as she scattered six hits.
McDavid and Stanicek provided solo home runs. Both were sent over the left field fence. McDavid's came in the first inning, and Stanicek's was drilled in the second inning.
"I thought she (Greenwalt) threw very well. Obviously, Alex and Samantha came up big," Montgomery said.
SIUE now has a busy schedule for next week with five games slated. It begins Tuesday with a 5 p.m. road contest at Bradley. SIUE comes back to Cougar Field Wednesday for a single game against Saint Louis at 3 p.m. The Cougars return to OVC play next weekend with a three-game set at Austin Peay.
