If we lose one and end up 22 - 5 and they win all three and end up 19 - 5, we would have the higher percentage.
Not sure how much they rely on RPI. Wichita has an rpi of 49 with a record of 22 - 21. They have played a number of ranked teams and have a win or two but mostly got pounded. 2 - 8 against ranked teams. They have a higher rpi than teams ahead of them in their conference, so strength of schedule is a big factor.
Too bad our games with Penn St. and Ohio St. got rained out. Both Purdue and Illinois, teams we beat, are in the top 100.
SIU wins a pitcher's duel 1 - 0 on a Lis triple and Warwick double in the top of the 7th. Now 21 - 4. UNI beat Valpo today - now 17 - 5.
Groff gave up 2 hits and had 5 SOs. Murray gave up 4 hits and had 5 SOs.
Game 2 tomorrow at 1 pm. Could be rain.
One more win and Dawgs clinch the title.
SIU wins a pitcher's duel 1 - 0 on a Lis triple and Warwick double in the top of the 7th.
Groff gave up 2 hits and had 5 SOs. Murray gave up 4 hits and had 5 SOs.
Game 2 tomorrow at 1 pm. Could be rain.
One more win and Dawgs clinch the title.
Need to win out to win the title outright, right?
UNI is on a hell of a streak. 11 games. They’ll probably finish off Valpo and head into the Valley tourney on a 13-game streak.
@saluki44 We need to win 1 of the last 2 games at Murray to win the title on percentage points. Since they would have fewer wins (assuming they win out vs a bad Valpo team), we would win based on percentage points.
I'd rather win out! Murray is definitely a tougher team than Valpo - their pitcher today was tough. Has an era of 1.33 and a winning record. We will probably see her again.
I must admit I was surprised to see such a close contest between these two teams, and the final score. Hopefully the bats get going today.
GO LADY DAWGS!!!
Ladies win 3 0 behind Groff also UNI upset today by Valpo so the ladies are outright Valley Champs GO DAWGS
Shocked Valpo won - they were down 4 - 0 in the 5th when I checked. Only Valpo's 3rd conference win for a 3 - 19 record in the MVC.
SIU also wins the 2nd game to sweep Murray. We have swept 6 conference opponents this year! Love it. Great season!
Both Groff and Eberle pitched 3 hit complete games today.
SIU 23 - 4 (39 - 9) rpi of 49 (which is bullshit - you win 39 games and go 23 -4 in the MVC, you're pretty darned good and should be in the NCAA no matter what happens in the MVC tournament)
UNI 17 - 6 (30 - 16) rpi of 71
First regular season championship since 2010, but third championship within the past four years.
Seems to have been the right move to promote Sewell, although I know this team is senior-laden and loaded.
As it stands now, I assume we definitely still need to win the MVC tourney to get a bid?
One thing Sewell is doing is emphasizing recruiting more pitchers - has a couple good ones coming next year and the Groffs are only freshmen. Of course we're losing Eberle I assume. (I don't know if Eberle, Hamilton, Warwick, Caylor, etc. have a Covid year or if they would take it.)
I have also noticed Stinson is there but not suited for games. She must still be recovering from a surgery... she was very good as a freshman before her injury - WHIP of 1.49 - same as Eberle last year.
(FYI Groff's WHIP is a crazy low .68, easily the lowest in the MVC)
Also think softball has a great, very experienced coaching staff!
MVC tourney starts Thursday in Abnormal. Cross your fingers. There's several teams that have a lights-out pitcher that could keep us from the NCAA (UNI, Belmont)
| Index | Player | Opposing Batting Average |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maddia Groff (SIU) | .162 |
| 2 | Johnson, Maya (BEL) | .195 |
| 3 | Heyer, Samantha (UNI) | .202 |
| 4 | Sydney Kennedy (BRAD) | .210 |
| 5 | GRIFFIN,Hailey (INS) | .220 |
| 6 | Veber, Jenna (MUR) | .237 |
| Index | Player | Earned Run Average |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maddia Groff (SIU) | 0.72 |
| 2 | Veber, Jenna (MUR) | 1.28 |
| 3 | Johnson, Maya (BEL) | 1.43 |
| 4 | Heyer, Samantha (UNI) | 2.02 |
| 5 | Sydney Kennedy (BRAD) | 2.05 |
| 6 | MCINTOSH, Alyssa (UIC) | 2.37 |
Congrats to the softball team on a great season!
Only thing I'm surprised about is that there aren't more Salukis on these teams - should have been.
Most Valuable Player: Jackie Lis, Southern Illinois
Most Valuable Pitcher: Maddia Groff, Southern Illinois
Freshman of the Year: Maddia Groff, Southern Illinois
Coaching Staff of the Year: Southern Illinois (Jen Sewell, Mary Jo Firnbach, Katie Griffith)
FIRST TEAM
C Bella Wilkerson, Illinois State
1B Isabella Henning, Indiana State
1B Kayla Ulrich, Missouri State
2B Delainey Bryant, Illinois State
2B Abi Chipps, Indiana State
3B Olivia Krehbiel, Missouri State
SS Nicole Hughes, Belmont
SS Jackie Lis, Southern Illinois
OF Annie Mueller, Missouri State
OF Alexis Pupillo, UNI
OF Elizabeth Warwick, Southern Illinois
P Maddia Groff, Southern Illinois
P Samantha Heyer, UNI
P Maya Johnson, Belmont
P Jenna Veber, Murray State
DP/UT Adisyn Hopkins, Illinois State
DP/P Sydney Kennedy, Bradley
SECOND TEAM
C Brenna Blume, Belmont
C Taylor Jackson, Murray State
1B Sidney Jones, Southern Illinois
2B Destiny Lewis, Drake
3B Rylie Hamilton, Southern Illinois
SS Kennedy Shade, Indiana State
OF Emma Austin, Southern Illinois
OF Hailey Cowing, UIC
OF Regi Hecker, Valparaiso
OF Addison Masching, Illinois State
OF Madison Parks, UNI
OF Makayla Rice, Drake
P Molly Hoekstra, Drake
P Paige McLeod, Illinois State
DP/UT Addison McElrath, UNI
DP/UT Chloe Merced, Missouri State
DP/P Emma Dighton, Drake
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
OF Baie Ensio, Belmont
1B Bailey Sample, Bradley
1B Addie Lightner, Drake
P Sydney Weatherford, Evansville
1B Larisa Villa, UIC
3B Jayden Standish, Illinois State
2B Abi Chipps, Indiana State
2B Kelsie Lewis, Missouri State
C Taylor Jackson, Murray State
2B Taylor Hogan, UNI
OF Elizabeth Warwick, Southern Illinois
2B Alexis Johnson, Valparaiso
We play Murray St tomorrow at 10 AM on ESPN+. Will be a matchup of Groff vs. Veber again - same game we won 1 - 0 last week.
Salukis are in extras with Murray State in the opener tied at 1
Salukis win 2-1 in the 9th on a Warwick RBI double with 2 outs
