Softball to play first mid-week games of seasonKyle MeansDaily Egyptian
SIU softball, off to its best start in 15 years, is starting to feel like a team getting into the groove.
Players and coaches (10-1) said the introduction of mid-week games, which start today in a doubleheader at Charlotte West Stadium against Southeast Missouri State, will keep the team in action and add to their consistency before they travel to San Jose, Calif., over the weekend for the National Invitational Tournament.
"We are so happy to play Tuesday," said head coach Kerri Blaylock after Sunday's game against Iowa was canceled. "The kids will get in a little bit of a rhythm, see live pitching and get us prepared."
SIU hasn't won this many games to start a season since 1991, when the Salukis won their first 12 games. The team has maintained success despite poor weather at each of its game sites. Junior pitcher Ashley Hamby credits the team's work ethic for how it has kept going despite seeing nine of its first 20 games canceled.
"We practice all together, we help each other out," Hamby said. "There's always people pushing each other, trying to make each other better."
Monday's practice provided proof of the Salukis' willingness to improve. A majority of the team came out to practice on hitting, although Blaylock didn't make the session mandatory. Pitchers like Hamby made their way out to take some swings even though it may not be needed of them tomorrow.
Blaylock is feeling good about her team's mentality and how it is translating to the field. On offense her team has looked particularly sharp, scoring five runs each in two of the three games played during the Southern Classic this weekend.
When the Salukis lineup was being held in check, senior Katie Louis stepped up to score both of SIU's runs in a 2-1 victory during Saturday's late game against Iowa. Louis has been the Salukis' most consistent slugger so far this season, .
"I'm not trying to do too much (at the plate), which is making me relax and just trust in my hands," Louis said. "When that happens everything just seems to fall into place."
As in most sporting cases, SEMO is seen as a rival to the softball team. Because of the Salukis' success and the familiarity between the teams, Blaylock says that the Redhawks like to put on their best effort in these games.
"They play with a lot of those kids in the summer or they know them," Blaylock said. "SEMO always wants to beat us, so we're not going to take them for granted."
SIU, or at least Hamby, will have something to prove in one of the games. Last year Hamby started one of the SEMO games and got in trouble early after giving up a hit and walking two Redhawks. Hamby had to come out in the first inning.
"I had a really rough first inning and Amy (Harre) had to come in and help me," Hamby said. "Usually when I get in trouble it's in the first inning, so I just got to come out strong. There's something to prove, as always."
