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Box Score 2 EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Allison Smiley's bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 10th inning sealed the victory in game two against Southeast Missouri as SIUE swept past the Redhawks Friday at Cougar Field.
SIUE won the opener 4-0 and edged SEMO in the nightcap 5-4 in 10 innings. The Cougars improved to 10-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference and 34-8 overall. SEMO dropped to 17-20 overall and 2-10 in the OVC.
"This time of the year, it doesn't matter how you get them (wins), as long as you get them," said SIUE Head Coach Sandy Montgomery.
Haley Chambers-Book, 21-5, recorded the wins in both games. She started the day with six innings of work and combined with Emily Ingles for SIUE's 13th shutout of the season. SEMO had just three hits. Chambers-Book struck out four and Ingles added one more in the seventh inning.
The Cougars scored twice in the fourth and twice in the fifth. A squeeze bunt by Chambers-Book and a sacrifice fly by Zoe Schafer provided the runs in the fourth.
Tess Eby was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth, and Alyssa Heren was credited with an RBI on a sacrifice fly to give SIUE the 4-0 lead.
After a thunderstorm delayed the start of game two, the Cougars and the Redhawks went back and forth in the nightcap.
SEMO opened the scoring on an RBI single by Claire Wernig in the fourth of SIUE starter Ashley Koziol, who did not figure in the decision. Koziol allowed six hits in six innings.
SIUE charged back with three runs in the fifth. Heren avoided a tag and was safe on an infield error that drove home Sarah Lopesilvero. Chambers-Book followed up with a two-run double to left.
SEMO chipped away at the lead with a solo home run by pinch hitter Addison Barnouski in the sixth and then took the lead in the seventh on an RBI triple by Mykaela Arellanes and an RBI double by Rachel Anderson.
Down 4-3, Lopesilvero stepped up and wasting no time in tying the game. The senior shortstop launched a solo home run to left field on the first pitch. It was her fourth home run of the season and third at Cougar Field.
"Sarah came up huge for us with that big swing," said Montgomery.
The two teams put zeros on the scoreboard until Smiley's single up the middle drove home Chambers-Book for the game winner. Smiley hit the single off Madeline Krumrey, who started the game and was re-entered in the 10th. Mackenzie Hoelting took the loss in relief after loading the bases in the 10th.
It was Smiley's team-leading 34th RBI of the season.
"Any time you can win in extra innings, you're doing something right," said Montgomery.
SIUE next returns to action Tuesday with a 5:30 p.m. road contest at Saint Louis.
