Page 22 Tuesday, May 8, 2012 The Southern Illinoisan

2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship

HomeBY PETE SPITLER

The Southern

For the fourth time in program history, andthe third time since Charlotte WestStadium opened in 2003, SIU is hosting

the State Farm Missouri Valley Conferencetournament.

In the years before Saluki Way, the school’smaster plan to upgrade its athletic and academicfacilities, a concentrated effort was made tobring SIU softball up to code with Title IX.Combined with the attention of former athleticdirector Paul Kowalczyk and a $1.7 million pricetag, the 1,000-seat Charlotte West Stadium-Rochman Field was built.

“It’s huge for us because even though thatfacility wasn’t part of Saluki Way, I think thegoal of the athletic department was to bring inas many events as possible to the community,”said SIU Athletic Director Mario Moccia. “Thepeople that designed and built the facility reallydid a great job and the other folks in the leagueobviously agreed with us.”

Schools interested in hosting the tournamentmust submit bids and make a presentation tothe conference’s voting body. The process isalmost an adult version of a school science fair,with the most attractive presentations receivingstrong consideration.

“People take into consideration geography, arethe coaches comfortable with the facility, theamount of hotel rooms available and traveldistance among other things,” Moccia said.“There’s a natural rotation and you don’t wantto give someone the tournament year after year.”

SIU previously hosted the tournament in1990, 2004 and 2008. The conference’sconfidence in Carbondale as host speaksvolumes because IU is the only school to hostthe tournament more than once since CharlotteWest Stadium opened.

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTOSIU’s Jayna Spivey bunts for an RBI single during a game with Creighton earlier this season at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale.

Sweet

Valley softball comes back to Southern Illinois for third time since 2003

Carbondale

The Southern Illinoisan Tuesday, May 8, 2012 Page 33

2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship

“Our groundskeeper, Scott Wright, does an incredible job,” saidSIU coach Kerri Blaylock. “We’ve worked really hard to make surethat the grass has stayed nice, they painted the foul poles andsome of the signage and made sure everything looks nice.”

SIU has a Gateway Conference title in 1991, but no tournamenttitles since joining the MVC in 1993.

The Salukis advanced to the championship game in the 2004tournament, the first at Charlotte West Stadium, but fell toCreighton.

“I give a lot of credit to our administration, because they haveto put in a bid,” Blaylock said. “They have to want to do it duringgraduation weekend, which is really hard.”

No. 1 seed Northern Iowa comes to town hoping to become justthe third regular-season champion to win the tournament since2000. The Panthers have a lengthy title drought of their own,having last taken home the trophy in 1990.

Illinois State, the preseason MVC favorite, is gunning for itsfirst title since 2001 and earned the No. 2 seed in thetournament’s single-elimination, double-bye format.

For the seven visiting teams, and their fans, invadingCarbondale this week, Moccia hopes they enjoy their stay inSouthern Illinois.

“I hope, from a fan’s standpoint, that they have a seamless timewith getting to the game and getting tickets,” Moccia said. “Wewant not only the student-athletes, but also the fans to say that itwas a very well-run conference tournament.”

pete.spitler@thesouthern.com / 618-351-5073On Twitter: @PeteTheSouthern

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTOSIU’s Mallory Duran-Sellers eyes the ball moments before she hits a single against Illinois State.

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTOSIU’s Haley Gorman jumps andthrows to first against Indiana Stateearlier this season.

Hero moments.The momentswhere you thrust

your arms skyward inthe knowledge that thedifference betweenvictory and defeat wasthrough your effortalone.

Players covet them, coaches want them and reporterslove to write about them.

At some point over the next few days, somebody isgoing to have at least one.

One prize awaits eight teams this week at SIU’sCharlotte West Stadium, the third time the facility hashosted the State Farm Missouri Valley Conferencetournament since it opened in 2003.

Every player who takes the field wants to extend theirseason just a little longer. For the seniors, this is achance to push the sun a little higher in the twilight oftheir careers, a chance to advance to the NCAA

tournament and further their pursuit of greatness.What’s tough about sports is that people remember

champions more than they remember runners-up. OnSaturday, one team will leave town a champion, whilethe other will just leave town.

The field itself looks better than it ever has in the fouryears I have been SIU softball’s beat writer. A mildwinter and the lack of 2011’s flooding rains hasturned Rochman Field into an emerald paradise morethan worthy of hosting such a prestigious tournament.

All that is needed is for Mother Nature to cooperate aswell.

For the eight teams competing, you may hear storiesabout luck and fate and destiny, but desire is the mostunder-appreciated element of them all.

And it all starts with deciding how bad you want towin. Would you play through pain? Would you shortenyour career to pick up the victory?

Those are simple questions that are maddeninglycomplex. The difference between wanting to win andneeding to win is the little things; the fundamentaldetails that aren’t always tracked on stat sheets.

Toughness is judged by sweat, paid for by victoriesand measured by the time it takes to get the job done.If knowing is half the battle, than effort is the otherhalf.

I have attended many media conferences where thelosing coach mentions that the opposing team “wantedit more,” as if the nature of their disbelief can beexplained by emotional involvement alone.

But it’s more than that. It always is. Coaches hate toadmit they got outplayed, players hate it even more.

But there are still heroes, moments that make theunbelievable, believable and legends that never die.

Maybe that champion, could be you.

PETE SPITLER is a sports reporter for The SouthernIllinoisan. He can be contacted at 618-351-5073 orpete.spitler@thesouthern.com.

2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship

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Page 44 Tuesday, May 8, 2012 The Southern Illinoisan

It’s the little moments that make a champion

PETE SPITLER

PenaltyShots

SIU’sJayna Spiveyconnects withthe ball duringa game withCreightonearlier thisseason atCharlotte WestStadium inCarbondale.

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

MVC FINAL STANDINGSTeam W L Overall1. Northern Iowa 21 4 38-152. Illinois State 18 8 33-213. Drake 17 10 28-274. SIU 16 10 34-195. Creighton 15 11 27-24-16. Missouri State 12 14 24-257. Bradley 11 15 21-298. Evansville 8 19 18-369. Wichita State 7 20 15-4010. Indiana State 6 20 19-34

Note: Only the top eight teams advance to theconference tournament

Team BattingName GP Avg1. Creighton 52 .2942. SIU 53 .2923. Northern Iowa 53 .2814. Illinois State 54 .2585. Drake 55 .251

Team PitchingName GP ERA1. Northern Iowa 53 1.982. Missouri State 49 2.673. Illinois State 54 2.714. Drake 55 2.835. Indiana State 53 2.91

Individual BattingName AB Avg1. M. Daigh (UNI) 182 .3852. E. Homan (CU) 173 .3763. M. Duran-Sellers (SIU) 162 .3704. K. Fortner (UE) 151 .3645. A. Baker (CU) 141 .348

Individual PitchingName W-L ERA1. J. Fisher (UNI) 20-3 1.342. J. Birch (ILS) 21-12 1.563. N. Rose (MSU) 16-15 1.864. L. Beisser (INS) 12-21 2.075. B. Changstrom (CU) 16-13 2.28

Runs Batted InName RBIs1. A. VadeBoncouer (SIU) 482. A. Cantu (CU) 463. A. Baker (CU) 464. H. Nybo (DU) 425. B. Lingl (CU) 40

HitsName Total1. M. Daigh (UNI) 702. E. Homan (CU) 653. M. Duran-Sellers (SIU) 604. A. Mathewson (CU) 585. H. Gorman (SIU) 57

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2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship

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TOURNEY FACTSHome field advantage:

Before 2009, no host schoolhad won the tournament inits 26-year history. Sincethen, host schools have wonthe title twice.

Title droughts: Indiana Statehas the longest tournamenttitle drought (1986),followed by Wichita State(1989), Northern Iowa(1990) and SIU (1991). Allfour teams have yet to winthe championship as amember of the MVC.

First Follies: Since 2000, theregular-season championhas gone on to win thetournament just twice(2001 and 2007).

Trophy Count: Creighton andMissouri State are tied withthe most tournamentchampionships with six,while Illinois State has five.

Good Company: The MVChas sent tworepresentatives to theNCAA tournament in eightof the last nine seasons,with 2009 tournamentchampion Bradley as thelone exception.

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTOSIU’s Haley Gorman runs down Creighton’s Ellen Homan after Homan was caught off base.

Page 66 Tuesday, May 8, 2012 The Southern Illinoisan

2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship

Northern IowaPanthersCoach: Ryan Jacobs

(fourth season)Record: 38-15, 21-4 MVC

(first place)Leading batters: Mackenzie

Daigh (.385 BA), WhitneyPlein (.331 BA), Laura Turner (.314 BA)

Leading pitchers: Jamie Fisher (20-3, 1.34 ERA), JayeHutcheson (15-10, 2.58 ERA), Jessica Severinsen (3-2,3.03 ERA)

Tournament history: 28-39, champions in 1990NCAA tournament appearance: 1990

No. Name Pos. B/T Yr1 Layne Grgurich INF R/R FR2 Mackenzie Daigh INF L/R SR3 Allison Galvin OF R/R SR4 Olivia Aten C/UTL R/R SO6 Hannah Borschel OF L/R SO8 Jamie Fisher P R/R SO10 Julia Hunter UTL R/R FR11 Courtney Dunker C/1B R/R SR12 Jaye Hutcheson P/1B R/R SR13 Aly Zembruski INF R/R FR14 Katelyn McDonald 2B R/R FR15 Samantha Reimer C R/R JR18 Jessica Severinsen P/1B R/R SO19 Haley Kriener INF R/R JR20 Laura Turner C R/R SO21 Gina Brown UTL R/R SO22 Melissa Walls UTL R/R JR23 Emma Plese UTL L/R SO24 Leah Embrey C/3B R/R SR25 McKena Carlson OF R/R JR26 Whitney Plein 3B R/R SR

Illinois StateRedbirdsCoach: Melinda Fisher

(27th season)Record: 33-21, 18-8 MVC

(second place)Leading batters: Liz Andrews (.331 BA), Laura Canopy

(.310 BA), Jhavon Hamilton (.310 BA)Leading pitchers: Jordan Birch (21-12, 1.56 ERA), Sophia

Perez (3-0, 2.94 ERA), Megan Warner (9-8, 4.02 ERA)Tournament history: 52-44, champions in 1985, 1988, 1995,

2000, 2001NCAA tournament appearances: 1988, 1995, 2000, 2001,

2006, 2007, 2010

No. Name Pos. B/T Yr00 Nichelle Harrison OF L/R SO1 Jordan Birch P L/R SR3 Liz Andrews OF L/R SR4 Kelsey Turczyn UTL R/R FR6 Lauren Kellar OF L/R JR7 Taylor Baxter P R/R SO

8 Caiti Kopp C/UTL R/R SO9 Sara Bradley INF R/R SO10 Laura Canopy INF L/R SO11 Sophia Perez P R/R FR12 Stephanie Gallant C L/R FR14 Elizabeth Kay C/UTL R/R JR15 Megan Warner P R/R SR17 Kolby Hoffman UTL R/R SO19 Lindsey Greene INF R/R FR20 Kara Repp INF L/R FR21 Kelsey McCarthy 1B R/R SO22 Shelby Music OF L/R JR23 Jhavon Hamilton OF L/R JR

Drake BulldogsCoach: Rich Calvert

(ninth season)Record: 28-27, 17-10 MVC

(third place)Leading batters: Hayley Nybo

(.333 BA), Amy Pierce (.286BA), Jaimie Duffek (.278 BA)

Leading pitchers: JordanGronewold (19-19, 2.79 ERA),Rebekah Schmidt (9-8, 2.89 ERA)

Tournament history: 27-35, champions in 1993, 1994, 2008NCAA tournament appearances: 1994, 2008

No. Name Pos. B/T Yr1 Macie Silliman OF R/R JR2 Sarah Ryan OF R/R FR3 Laura Brewer INF R/R FR5 Liz Buck INF L/L SO6 Amy Pierce INF R/R SO7 Jaimie Duffek OF L/R SR10 Torey Craddock INF R/R SR15 Nicole Randel UTL L/R SO16 Zeah Peterson C R/R FR18 Hayley Nybo UTL R/R FR19 Sam West OF L/R JR22 Lindsey Vande Wall OF R/R JR28 Rebekah Schmidt P R/R FR44 Jordan Gronewold P R/R SO52 Rose Magaddino C R/R SR

SIU SalukisCoach: Kerri Blaylock

(13th season)Record: 34-19, 16-10 MVC

(fourth place)Leading batters: Mallory

Duran-Sellers (.370 BA),Haley Gorman (.329 BA), Allie VadeBoncouer (.327 BA)

Leading pitchers: Alyssa Wunderlich (12-2, 2.85 ERA),Brittney Lang (10-6, 3.81 ERA), Katie Bertelsen (12-11, 3.99ERA)

Tournament history: 40-45, champions in 1991NCAA tournament appearances: 1991, 2003, 2004, 2005,

2006, 2007

No. Name Pos. B/T Yr1 Morgan Barchan OF L/R JR2 Allie VadeBoncouer C R/R SO3 Jayna Spivey INF R/R SO4 Kelsea Ashton INF R/R SO6 Brittney Lang P R/R JR7 Alicia Junker INF L/R SR9 M. Duran-Sellers OF L/L SR11 Katie Bertelsen P L/R FR12 Kalyn Harker OF R/L FR17 Kara Kimball INF R/R FR20 Taylor Orsburn INF L/R SO24 Alyssa Wunderlich P R/R FR27 Haley Gorman SS L/R SR33 Meredith Wilson OF L/R FR40 Michelle Bradley OF R/R JR

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTOSIU’s Mallory Duran-Sellers catches a line drive in center fieldat Charlotte West Stadium.

The Southern Illinoisan Tuesday, May 8, 2012 Page 77

2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Softball Championship

Creighton BluejaysCoach: Brent Vigness

(19th season)Record: 27-24-1, 15-11 MVC

(fifth place)Leading batters: Ellen

Homan (.376 BA), AmyBaker (.348 BA), Alexis Cantu (.347 BA)

Leading pitchers: Becca Changstrom (16-13, 2.28 ERA),Alexis Cantu (8-5, 5.20 ERA), Sammy Snygg (3-5, 5.28ERA)

Tournament history: 37-21, champions in 1999, 2003, 2004,2005, 2007, 2010

NCAA tournament appearances: 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989,1990, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010

No. Name Pos. B/T Yr1 Allie Mathewson UTL L/L FR2 Emily Perry OF R/R JR3 Alexis Cantu P/1B L/R SO4 Bri Lingl C R/R FR5 Becca Changstrom P R/R SO6 McKenna Setlik 1B R/R SO7 Ashley Frutos INF R/R JR9 Blair Lowe OF L/R SO11 Taylor Flodman INF R/R FR12 Ellen Homan OF L/L SO13 Kylie Hovinga P L/L SO17 Liz Dike INF R/R FR18 Christa Ruf OF R/R SR19 Sammy Snygg P/1B R/R JR20 MaKenzie Michael INF R/R SO21 Amy Baker C/1B R/R JR22 Brittnie Kreiser INF R/R SO27 Brittany Telecky P R/R SO

Missouri State BearsCoach: Holly Hesse

(24th season)Record: 24-25, 12-14

MVC (sixth place)Leading batters: Ashley

Brentz (.310 BA), HeatherDuckworth (.267 BA), StaciBoeckstiegel (.243 BA)

Leading pitchers: Natalie Rose (16-15, 1.86 ERA), ChelseaJones (7-9, 4.01 ERA)

Tournament history: 67-40, champions in 1983, 1996, 1997,1998, 2006, 2011

NCAA tournament appearances: 1983, 1996, 1997, 1998,2006, 2011

No. Name Pos. B/T Yr1 Caitlin Chapin OF R/R JR2 Alissa Trickey UTL L/R FR3 Lauren Eisenreich OF R/R JR5 Amber Dreher UTL L/R FR6 Raeven Replogle OF R/R SR7 Savannah Wiggins P R/R SO8 Kerri Cunningham OF L/R SO10 Stevie Pierce 1B/OF R/R JR

11 Heather Duckworth 3B R/R SO12 Chelsea Jones P/OF R/R FR13 Natalie Rose P R/R SR14 Rebecca McPherson C/UTL R/R FR16 Ciara Flau INF R/R SO18 Stacia Boeckstiegel C R/R SO20 Erin Duewel C/INF R/R FR22 Kirstin Cutter SS S/R JR24 Ashley Brentz INF L/R SO

Bradley BravesCoach: Amy Hayes

(fourth season)Record: 21-29, 11-15 MVC

(seventh place)Leading batters: Madeline

Lynch-Crumrine (.300 BA),Julie Sherman (.292 BA), Jackie Roth (.271)

Leading pitchers: Madeline Lynch-Crumrine (11-17, 2.68ERA), Mackenzie Camp (8-10, 3.25 ERA)

Tournament history: 29-36, champion in 2009NCAA tournament appearance: 2009

No. Name Pos. B/T Yr1 KayCee Miller UTL/C R/R SO2 Mariah Cole OF L/R SO5 Lindsay Hufeld P R/R SR6 Brianne Joseph INF L/R SO8 Alison Kresl OF R/R SR9 Lexi Cremeens UTL R/R FR10 Shannon King INF/UTL R/R FR11 Heather Terry INF L/R JR12 M. Lynch-Crumrine P/OF R/R SO13 Bailiegh Basham UTL R/R SO14 Julie Sherman INF L/R SR15 M. DeMeulenaere RHP R/R FR17 Jackie Roth INF/C R/R SR19 M. Groenewegen INF R/R JR20 Brittany Burgess INF R/R FR

21 Mackenzie Camp P R/R JR22 Verita Richardson INF R/R FR23 Alex Chandler SS/UTL R/R SO24 Alyson Clemente UTL R/R FR

Evansville Purple AcesCoach: Mark Redburn

(second season)Record: 18-36, 8-19 MVC

(eighth place)Leading batters: Kayla Fortner (.364 BA), Katie Sears

(.301 BA), Victoria Dellorto (.272 BA)Leading pitchers: Sarah Patterson (9-19, 2.92 ERA), Taylor

Perry (6-8, 3.67 ERA), Kendall Kautz (1-6, 4.95 ERA)Tournament history: 16-19, champion in 2002NCAA tournament appearance: 2002

No. Name Pos. B/T Yr3 Tamara Robey OF L/L JR5 Lauren Lum C R/R FR6 Halie Malone C R/R JR7 Nikki Rahming INF R/R SO8 Mariah Ferguson INF/OF R/R FR10 Alicia Betancur INF R/R JR11 Maggie Little OF/P R/R SR13 Ashleigh Rahming INF/OF R/R SR14 Emily Morris P R/R SO15 Victoria Dellorto OF L/R FR17 Brianna Villanueva INF R/R JR19 Alli Nolan C R/R FR20 Sarah Patterson P R/R JR22 Kendall Kautz P R/R JR23 Allison Aguilera INF R/R SR25 Taylor Perry P R/R SO27 Kayla Fortner OF R/R FR28 Amy Gaertner INF R/R SR34 Katie Sears OF L/L SO55 Kacey Rogers INF/OF R/R SO

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTOSIU’s Mallory Duran-Sellers (left) is unable to come up with the ball after making a dive for a flyball as teammate MorganBarchan picks up the ball against Indiana State earlier this season at Charlotte West Stadium.

Page 88 Tuesday, May 8, 2012 The Southern Illinoisan

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