Softball Bounces Back With 2-0 Triumph Over SIU

Val George cracked the top 10 of KU's career strikeout list with nine K's against SIU.

March 1, 2008

CARBONDALE, Ill. -

After dropping a 2-0 decision to No. 5/6 Northwestern earlier in the day, Kansas, now 13-5, bounced back with a 2-0 win of its own against Southern Illinois as junior pitcher Valerie George notched her second shutout of the season.

SIU falls to 10-5 with the loss.

George, 6-1, recorded a season-high nine strikeouts, one shy of her career best, in the contest as the junior hurler cracked into the KU career record books moving into 10^th on the all-time strikeout list with 188 for her career.

Kansas engineered a run in the top of the fourth inning to take the early lead. Junior Dougie McCaulley led the inning off with a single through the left side and moved over one base on a sacrifice bunt from junior Val Chapple. McCaulley was then able to score when a fly ball from freshman Brittany Hile was dropped by SIU's right fielder.

The Jayhawks later added a security run in their final at-bat when sophomore Amanda Jobe batted in junior Stevie Crisosto, who reached first on a walk, with a single into right field.

Kansas will play two more games tomorrow morning as part of the Coach B Southern Classic. KU will take on Western Illinois at 9 a.m. followed by Bradley at 11 a.m. Live stats available at http://siusalukis.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/southern-classic.html.