Box Score UPDATE: SIUE earned the Lady Techster Invitational team title with its 4-1 record. ULM and Missouri State also completed the tournament with a 4-1 record, but SIUE won on the criteria of run differential over the tournament's five games. SIUE was first at +21 with Louisiana-Monroe second at +14 and Missouri State third at +12. No all-tournament team was announced.
RUSTON, La. – SIUE softball finished off the Lady Techster Invitational Sunday with an impressive 11-1 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in five innings.
Haley Chambers ripped two home runs and tossed a five-hitter for her third win of the season. SIUE closed out its first weekend of the season with a 4-1 record.
"Chambers was on fire offensively," said SIUE Head Coach Sandy Montgomery. "She has matured as a player and is coming into her own. She has been more disciplined at the plate."
Chambers hit her first career leadoff home run. The left-handed hitting junior sparked the SIUE offense with three runs, three hits, and three RBIs.
SIUE collected 13 hits in all, including a second-inning home run by Rachel Keller. Keller, Haley Adrian, and Alex McDaniel each had two hits for the Cougars.
"The kids are playing hard. We're coming up with timely hits and making adjustments at the plate," added Montgomery.
After Chambers' home run, the Cougars pounded Arkansas-Pine Bluff starter-loser Makey Hunter for five runs in the first inning.
Adrian doubled to right center, moved to third base on a wild pitched, and scored on an infield out by Allison Smiley. Keller and McDavid each singled, and Keller scored on a dropped fly ball off the bat of Brittany Toney. Jordan LaFave would make it 5-0 with a two-RBI single that scored McDavid and Toney.
After batting around in the first inning, Chambers got the offense going again in the second with a single through the right side. After a sacrifice bunt by Adrian, Smiley recorded her team-leading ninth RBI of the weekend with a single to score Chambers.
Keller then hit her first home run of the season, a shot to center field to put the Cougars up 8-0.
"Keller has taken first base over," said Montgomery. "She is very savvy and plays hard."
The Cougars added a single tally in the fourth when McDavid singled home Adrian. Samantha Jones was on base for catcher Tess Eby and scored on Chambers' second homer of the game in the fifth inning.
In the circle, Chambers struck out seven and allowed five hits. In three games this weekend, teams hit .164 off the left-hander.
SIUE next heads to Athens, Georgia, for the 12th Annual Georgia Softball Classic. The Cougars will take on No. 10-ranked Georgia twice during the weekend as well as Troy twice and Elon once. SIUE's first game in the tournament is Friday against Troy beginning at 11:30 a.m. CT.
