Courtesy of SIUE Athletics
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE softball collected 20 hits overall Saturday, and Alexis Kohrs tossed a no-hitter as the Cougars collected a pair of victories in its fall exhibition season opener at Cougar Field.
“She (Kohrs) has put in a lot of work this summer and it shows,” said SIUE Head Coach Sandy Montgomery. “She has much better command of her pitches. She has worked on her drop ball and change-up. I’m very happy for her that she has put herself in a position to see some time.”
Kohrs earned the victory in the second game of the day for the Cougars, an 11-0, five-inning victory over Saint Louis Community College. Kohrs struck out six and walked two in her fall debut.
The Cougars also won their first game of the day 9-4 over Wabash Valley Community College.
SIUE’s offense provided plenty of help for the pitching staff. The Cougars scored eight runs in the first three innings against Wabash Valley, including a five-run third inning for winning pitcher Haley Chambers. The junior left-hander struck out six in her first outing since leading the 2014 SIUE softball team to an Ohio Valley Conference crown and a bid to the NCAA Division I Tournament.
The offense exploded for an eight-run inning in the second game against Saint Louis CC. Alex McDavid led the charge with a two-run home run as the Cougars sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning.
“I thought we swung the bat well and made adjustments,” said Montgomery. “I saw improvements throughout the day so I was not unhappy with how we played. Obviously, we have some things to work on, but that’s what the fall is for.”
The Cougars debuted a new lineup that included two different freshmen catchers (Tess Eby and Sabrina Miller). Two new shortstops (sophomore Amy Hunt and freshman Maria Prete) also made their first starts.
“I was happy that we executed today from an offensive standpoint with the things we were doing with hit and run and bunts,” added Montgomery.
SIUE’s next action is one week from today when the Cougars welcome Jefferson College and Parkland College to Cougar Field.
Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore
