EDWARDSVILLE – SIUE softball improved to 22-5 overall with an impressive 7-1 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks at Cougar Field.
Haley Chambers-Book collected her 11th win of the season, taking a perfect game into the seventh inning Wednesday. Kalei Kaneshiro and Alyssa Heren each homered for the Cougars.
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"That's a huge win for us," said SIUE Head Coach Sandy Montgomery. "Obviously, there are a Big 12 team. They are a good team. They have good hitting. Haley threw really well today."
Chambers-Book struck out seven and allowed just two hits, both in the top of the seventh inning.
"I knew Kansas was a good hitting team so I was just focusing on making my pitches work," said Chambers-Book. The Jayhawks dropped to 18-12, using four pitchers in the game. Starter Alexis Reid took the loss.
Heren gave the Cougars a boost in the opening inning with a base hit up the middle. She later would become the first SIUE player this season to collect four hits in a game.
After Heren singled, Chambers-Book grounded into a fielder's choice. Zoe Schafer put down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the runner into scoring position. Tess Eby then delivered line shot to center field for a double, scoring Chambers-Book.
SIUE added single tallies in the third and fourth innings. Schafer singled home Heren in the third. Reagan Curtis added a double down the left field line in the fourth, driving home pinch runner Jane Smith.
"Hitting is contagious, and we had some quality at bats all the way through," said Montgomery.
SIUE continued to add runs in the fifth on Kaneshiro's third home run of the season, a blast to left field with Allison Smiley on base. That made it 5-0.
"She (Kaneshiro) is so fun to watch just her mentality in the game. She is an awesome teammate to have regardless of how she does in the game. That hit was tremendous for her," Chambers-Book said.
Heren hit her 10th career home run in the sixth. Lopesilvero was on base on the blast to right center.
Chambers-Book gave up her first hit to Erin McGinley, a double to center field, in the seventh. Taylor Dodson's infield single plated Kansas' only run.
"That's a tough way to lose it," said Montgomery. "You lose your perfect game and no-hitter all at once. Everyone knows how hard those (no-hitters) are to come by."
The Ohio Valley Conference season kicks off this weekend. SIUE has doubleheaders against Tennessee State and Belmont on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
"I'm just really proud of our team and how we competed and the way we came out and managed the game," said Montgomery. "We had control from the first inning to the last."
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