Box Score ORLANDO, Fla. – The SIUE softball team closed out a five-game weekend at the UCF Holiday Inn Tournament with a 3-1 victory over Ivy League opponent Princeton on Sunday.
"I was really happy with how we played this weekend," Head Coach Sandy Montgomery said. "We played hard, we competed, and we held ourselves at a high level from a competitive standpoint. That's good to see as we get closer to conference play."
The Cougars (6-13) scored a run in three straight innings while Haley Chambers picked up her third victory of the season in the circle.
Chambers threw a complete game for SIUE, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out five Princeton batters.
"Haley threw well today," Montgomery said. "Anytime she pitches like that, she gives us a chance to win."
Freshman Allison Smiley got SIUE on the board in the third inning, driving in Kayla Riggs for her team-leading 12th RBI of the season. Smiley led the Cougars in RBIs (5) and total bases (7) over the weekend.
"She's just clutch," Montgomery said of Smiley. "She understands hitting and she steps up in key situations for us. When she comes to the plate in big spots, I feel confident about our chances to score."
SIUE tacked on runs in the fourth and fifth innings, with Rachel Coonrod and Rachel Keller each producing RBIs.
The team finished the weekend with a 3-2 record, its best weekend win total so far this season.
The Cougars will play their fifth and final early-season tournament next weekend, with four games at the Southeast Games in Cape Girardeau, Mo. SIUE opens play against South Dakota State Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
"Conference play is the most important thing, and we have one more weekend to prepare for that," Montgomery added. "I feel good about this weekend and the progress we've made so far."
