2015 SIU Edwardsville Cougars softball
OVC regular-season champion
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Record43–16 (20–6 OVC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Jessica Jones
  • Valerie McCoy
  • Cathy Weatherred
Home stadiumCougar Field
Capacity 800+
2015 Ohio Valley Conference softball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
SIU Edwardsville   206 .7694316 .729
Jacksonville State   186 .7503817 .691
Murray State   207 .7413819 .667
Tennessee Tech  1511 .5773225 .561
Eastern Kentucky   1310 .5652428 .462
Eastern Illinois   1411 .5602127 .438
Southeast Missouri St.   1212 .5001927 .413
Morehead State   1111 .5002224 .478
Tennessee–Martin   915 .3752426 .480
Belmont   816 .3331332 .289
Austin Peay   522 .185937 .196
Tennessee State   422 .1541137 .229
OVC Tournament champion
As of May 9, 2015[1]
Rankings from USA Today/NFCA Coaches

The 2015 SIU Edwardsville Cougars softball team represented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) during the 2015 NCAA Division I softball season. The Cougars, led by twenty-seventh year head coach Sandy Montgomery, played their home games at Cougar Field on the SIUE campus as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC).[2]

Preseason

Eleven players returned from the 2013 squad that finished with a 30–23 overall record (19–5 in the OVC) and advanced to the NCAA tournament after winning the OVC championship. They were joined by four freshmen, a junior college All-American transfer, and a senior who was a member of the Cougars' OVC champion women's soccer team.[3]

The Cougars were picked by the coaches and sports information directors of the Ohio Valley Conference to finish first in the conference.[4]

Regular season

The 2015 season cast the Cougars in the role of road warriors, with only 17 home games on their 55-game regular-season schedule.

The schedule opened with tournaments in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida and included 36 schools from 14 states and the District of Columbia. Although the early season schedule was not as grueling as 2014's, the Cougars faced four other teams that were in the 2014 NCAA tournament, including two that were ranked in the preseason Top 25.[5]

The Cougars opened the season traveling to three weekend tournaments in the South. They started by winning the Lady Techster Invitational at Louisiana Tech with a 4–1 record.[6] The following weekend, they went 3–1 and finished second to the 10th-ranked Bulldogs at their Georgia Softball Classic. The third weekend took them to Auburn, Alabama for the Wilson/DeMarini Classic and another second-place finish behind the 16th-ranked host Auburn Tigers with a 3–2 record.

Following a week off, the team went to Florida during break for five games at the USF Series - Under Armour Showcase and a pair of games in Fort Myers. After sweeping the games at Clearwater, the Cougars ran their win streak to seven games before falling at FGCU and finishing the pre-conference schedule with a record of 16–5.[7] At this point, the first NCAA Rating Percentage Index (RPI) was issued, with the Cougars earning the number 32 ranking of the 295 Division I teams.

On March 20, Haley Chambers struck out 20 Morehead State batters en route to the second perfect game of her Cougar career. She became the first Cougar pitcher to toss two perfect games. It was the sixth SIUE perfect game and the program's 32nd no-hitter. The game was also her fourth no-hitter.[8] Only current Cougar coach Sandy Montgomery has thrown more no-hit games, with six during her Cougar playing career, 1982–85.[9] As a result, the junior not only was named the OVC Pitcher of the Week[10] (her fourth of five awards for the season), but she was also named the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I National Pitcher of the Week.[11]

On April 16, Cougar pitcher Baylee Douglass was named as one of the twenty-five finalists for the NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Award.[12] At the time, she had a 13–4 record with a 1.97 earned run average (ERA). She was also nationally ranked in several statistical categories: 12th in saves (4), 38th in walks allowed/seven innings (1.40), 61st in ERA (1.97), 61st in hits allowed/seven innings (5.41), and 73rd in strikeouts/seven innings (7.6).[13][14] Douglass was the only OVC player to be named a finalist.[15]

The Cougars clinched their first OVC regular season championship with a 7–2 win in the first game of the season's final series at Eastern Illinois on May 2.[16] However, losses in five of their last ten games dropped the Cougars' RPI to number 50, essentially making it a near necessity that they win the OVC tournament, since the chance of an at-large bid was then problematic.

Honors

The Ohio Valley Conference awards were announced at a banquet prior to the start of the league tournament. The Cougars team accepted the 2015 OVC softball regular-season championship trophy. Haley Chambers was named OVC Pitcher of the Year and a member of the All-OVC First Team. Rebecca Gray was also named to the All-OVC First Team. Baylee Douglas was named OVC Freshman of the Year and a member of both the All-OVC Second Team and the OVC All-Newcomer Team. Cougars head coach Sandy Montgomery was named the OVC Coach of the Year.[17]

Postseason

The Cougar hosted the Ohio Valley Conference softball tournament at Cougar Field beginning on Wednesday, May 6.

In the opening game, the Cougars came back from a 0–3 first inning deficit to defeat Morehead State 8–3 behind Haley Chambers' 10 strikeout three hit game. Chambers, Alex McDavid, and Jordan Lafave homered in the win.[18]

As the visiting team on their own field (determined by coin flip), the Cougars again fell behind in the first inning of the second game, with an error allowing Tennessee Tech (the only OVC squad they had not defeated) to take a 2–0 lead. The host team got one run back in the third, but gave up single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Haley Chambers struck out nine, but allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits, while TTU pitcher Danielle Liberatore struck out 10, allowing only one run on six hits. The Cougars moved to the loser's bracket to face Eastern Illinois.[19]

Again the visitors at home, the Cougars wasted no time in taking the lead on Eastern Illinois, getting four runs on three hits in the top of the first. They added three runs in the second, two in the third, and their tenth run in the fourth. Eastern managed to get on the board with a two-run homer in the fifth, but that was all, and the game ended at 10–2 in five innings with EIU eliminated from the tournament.[20] The Cougars move on to play the winner of the Jacksonville State–Eastern Kentucky game, which was scheduled to be the last game of the day. A five-hour rain delay after the Cougars win would have moved the last game to a start time of around 9:39 PM, but the other two games both ran long, putting the start time after 10:PM, so the SIUE–Jacksonville State game was rescheduled for 10:00 AM on Saturday. For SIUE or JSU to win the tournament, either team would need to win three games on Saturday and one on Sunday.

In the first of a possible three Saturday games, the top-seeded Cougars went up on the second-seeded Jacksonville State Gamecocks 1–0 in the first. They added a second run in the third, then scored five in the fifth while Haley Chambers did not allow a hit until the fifth. Alex McDavid's fourth RBI of the game ran the score to 8–0 in the bottom of the sixth, ending the game on the mercy rule and advancing the Cougars to play the final elimination game against Murray State for the right to play Tennessee Tech in the Championship game(s).[21]

After another long rain delay, SIUE and Murray State played in a rare pitchers' duel in this high-scoring OVC tournament. Murray got on the board first with a single run in the third on a double, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly. The Cougars were held scoreless by CheyAnne Gaskey on only two hits through five innings before getting two runs on two hits and a Racers error in the top of the sixth to take the lead. Haley Chambers went 423 before giving way to Baylee Douglass, who got the win after 213 hitless innings.[22] The Cougars earned a 45-minute break before again facing Tennessee Tech in the championship round.

In the championship, Baylee Douglass threw three hitless innings before giving up a homer, a walk, and a second homer to open the fourth, giving Tennessee Tech a 3–0 lead. Danielle Liberatore once more seemingly owned the Cougars, allowing only four hits until there were two out in the seventh, when the Cougars finally found their offense. Three singles cut the lead to one run with the tying and winning runs on base before Liberatore threw her ninth strikeout to win the game and the tournament for the Golden Eagles.[23]

Cougar shortstop Alex McDavid, pitcher/designated player Haley Chambers, and second baseman Allison Smiley were named to the OVC All-Tournament Team.[24]

Roster

Buff background indicates players returning from 2014.

2015 SIUE Cougars roster[25]
# Name Position Bats/Throws Year Hometown High school
0 Maria Prete Infielder R/R Freshman Westmont, IL Westmont High School
2 Haley Chambers Pitcher L/L Junior Coatesville, IN Cascade HS
3 Alex McDavid Shortstop R/R Senior Suwanee, GA North Gwinnett HS
4 Alexis Kohrs Pitcher R/R Sophomore DuQuoin, IL DuQuoin HS
5 Rebecca Gray Outfielder L/R Senior Crete, IL Marian Catholic HS
6 Kelsey Hansen Utility/Infield R/R Junior East Peoria, IL East Peoria Comm. HS
7 Baylee Douglass Pitcher L/R Freshman Centralia, Missouri Centralia HS
8 Haley Adrian Infielder R/R Freshman Auburn, AL Auburn HS
9 Tess Eby Catcher R/R Freshman Grapevine, TX Colleyville Heritage HS
11 Whitney Lanphier Outfield/3rd Base R/R Junior Plainfield, IL Plainfield South HS
12 Rachel Keller 1st Base R/R Junior Bethalto, IL Civic Memorial HS
13 Allison Smiley 2nd Base R/R Sophomore Johnston City, IL Johnston City HS
22 Amy Hunt Catcher R/R Sophomore Troy, IL Triad HS
23 Brittany Toney Right Fielder R/R Senior Hendersonville, TN Goodpasture Christian School
25 Allie Hill Utility/Infielder R/R Junior Bethalto, IL Civic Memorial HS
26 Jordan LaFave Outfielder L/R Junior Valrico, FL Durant HS
31 Samantha Jones Utility R/R Senior Florissant, Missouri McCluer North HS

Schedule

Date Time Opponent Rank# Site Result Attendance Winning Pitcher Losing Pitcher
Louisiana Tech's Lady Techster Invitational
February 6* 11:45 AM Abilene Christian Lady Techster Softball Complex • Ruston, LA W 8–06 914 Haley Chambers (1–0) J. Montoya
February 6* 2:00 PM Louisiana Tech Lady Techster Softball Complex • Ruston, LA W 6–4 914 Alexis Kohrs (1–0) Bianca Duram
February 7* 1:30 PM Missouri State Lady Techster Softball Complex • Ruston, LA W 3–1 995 Haley Chambers (2–0) Jessie Van Es
February 7* 8:15 PM Louisiana–Monroe Lady Techster Softball Complex • Ruston, LA L 3–4 995 Paige Porter Baylee Douglass (0–1)
February 8* 11:15 AM Arkansas–Pine Bluff Lady Techster Softball Complex • Ruston, LA W 11–15 657 Haley Chambers (3–0) M. Hunter
Georgia Softball Classic
February 13* 11:30AM Troy Jack Turner Stadium • Athens, GA W 10–0 121 Haley Chambers (4–0) Sara Mock
February 13* 2:00 PM #10 Georgia Jack Turner Stadium • Athens, GA L 0–9 5 147 Chelsea Wilkinson Alexis Kohrs (1–1)
February 14* 9:00 AM Elon Jack Turner Stadium • Athens, GA W 3–2 143 Haley Chambers (5–0) K. Mitchum
February 14* 2:00 PM Troy Jack Turner Stadium • Athens, GA W 5–2 147 Baylee Douglass (1–1) Ashley Rainey
February 15* 10:30 AM #10 Georgia Jack Turner Stadium • Athens, GA Cancelled Cold Weather
Auburn's Wilson/DeMarini Classic
February 27* 10:00 AM Connecticut Jane B. Moore Field • Auburn, AL L 1–2 n/a Duggan Haley Chambers (5–1)
February 27* 12:15 PM Texas State Jane B. Moore Field • Auburn, AL W 10–26 n/a Baylee Douglass (2-1) Taylor Webb
February 28* 2:30 PM Samford Jane B. Moore Field • Auburn, AL W 7–2 n/a Baylee Douglass (3-1) Grey Adams
February 28* 5:00 PM #16 Auburn Jane B. Moore Field • Auburn, AL L 5–8 972 L. Davis Haley Chambers (5–2)
March 1* 11:30 AM Ohio State Jane B. Moore Field • Auburn, AL W 6–0 n/a Haley Chambers (6–2) Olivia O'Reilly
USF Series - Under Armour Showcase
March 6* 3:15 9:00 PM Villanova Eddie C. Moore Complex Field #3 • Clearwater, FL W 4–1 145 Haley Chambers (7–2) Jordan Prutzer
March 7* 12:45 PM Seton Hall Eddie C. Moore Complex Field #4 • Clearwater, FL W 5–3 67 Baylee Douglass (4–1) Destaso
March 7* 3:15 PM North Florida Eddie C. Moore Complex Field #4 • Clearwater, FL W 4–3 12 n/a Haley Chambers (8–2) Kaylie Wallace
March -6- 8* 6:30 PM 8:00 AM Georgetown Eddie C. Moore Complex Field #2 • Clearwater, FL W 8–2 8 55 Baylee Douglass (5–1) M. Hyson
March 8* 8:00 AM 10:15 AM Bowling Green Eddie C. Moore Complex Field #9 • Clearwater, FL W 3–0 55 Haley Chambers (9–2) Dillow
March 10* 1:30 PM Pittsburgh FGCU Softball Complex • Fort Myers, FL W 1–0 24 Haley Chambers (10–2) S. King
March 10* 6:00 PM Florida Gulf Coast FGCU Softball Complex • Fort Myers, FL L 0–3 121 Ashley Dobson Baylee Douglass (5–2)
March 14 1:00 3:00 PM Murray State Cougar FieldEdwardsville, IL W 5–4 167 Baylee Douglass (6–2) CheyAnne Gaskey
March 14 15 4:00 PM Noon Murray State Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL L 2–7 193 CheyAnne Gaskey Haley Chambers (10–3)
March 15 1:00 2:00 PM Murray State Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 6–4 193 Baylee Douglass (7–2) Mason Robinson
March 17* 4:00 PM Bradley Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 6–5 124 Haley Chambers (11–3) Jaelen Hull
March 21 12:00 Noon Eastern Kentucky Gertrude Hood Field • Richmond, KY W 5–1 292 Haley Chambers (12–3) Leanna Pittsenbarger
March 21 2:00 PM Eastern Kentucky Gertrude Hood Field • Richmond, KY W 8–0 6 302 Baylee Douglass (8–2) Shaylon Robb
March 22 12:00 Noon Morehead State University Field • Morehead, KY W 1–0 140 Haley Chambers (13–3) M. Grossmann
March 22 2:00 PM Morehead State University Field • Morehead, KY W 10–3 140 Baylee Douglass (9–2) Tana Sueferer
March 25* 3:00 PM Missouri State Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 3–2 112 Haley Chambers (14–3) Chelsea Jones
March 28 1:00 PM Southeast Missouri Southeast Softball Complex • Cape Girardeau, MO W 12–3 6 135 Haley Chambers (15–3) Aubrey Denno
March 28 3:00 PM Southeast Missouri Southeast Softball Complex • Cape Girardeau, MO W 7–0 155 Baylee Douglass (10–2) Madeline Krumrey
March 29 1:00 PM Southeast Missouri Southeast Softball Complex • Cape Girardeau, MO W 8–4 225 Haley Chambers (16–3) Madeline Krumrey
April 1* 4:00 PM SIU Carbondale Charlotte West Stadium • Carbondale, IL L 1–5 239 Katie Bertlesen Baylee Douglass (10–3)
April 4 1:00 PM Jacksonville State Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 2–1 144 Haley Chambers (17–3) T. West
April 4 3:00 PM Jacksonville State Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 8–2 144 Baylee Douglass (11–3) L. Green
April 5 12:00 Noon Tennessee Tech Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL L 3–4 105 Erica Tuck Haley Chambers (17–4)
April 5 2:00 PM Tennessee Tech Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL L 2–4 105 Danielle Liberatore Baylee Douglass (11–4)
April 7* 3:00 PM Western Illinois Mary Ellen McKee Stadium • Macomb, IL Cancelled Heavy rain Forecast
April 7* 5:00 PM Western Illinois Mary Ellen McKee Stadium • Macomb, IL Cancelled Heavy rain Forecast
April 11 12:00 Noon Austin Peay Cheryl Holt Field • Clarksville, TN W 2–1 225 Haley Chambers (18–4) Natalie Ayala
April 11 2:00 PM Austin Peay Cheryl Holt Field • Clarksville, TN W 7–1 225 Baylee Douglass (12–4) Sidney Hooper
April 12 12:00 Noon Austin Peay Cheryl Holt Field • Clarksville, TN W 5–3 125 Baylee Douglass (13–4) Natalie Ayala
April 15* 4:00 PM Saint Louis Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 5–0 215 Haley Chambers (19–4) Briana Lore
April 18 1:00 PM Belmont Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 3–0 168 Haley Chambers (20–4) Taylor Moon
April 18 3:00 PM Belmont Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL L 0–2 168 Caroline Snodgress Baylee Douglass (13–5)
April 19 1:00 PM Tennessee State Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 8–2 155 Baylee Douglass (14–5) Taylor Green
April 19 3:00 PM Tennessee State Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL Cancelled Game 1 began 0:41 late then had 3:06 rain delay
April 22* 1:00 PM #rv Kansas Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park • Lawrence, KS L 4–6 425 Bryn Houlton Haley Chambers (20–5)
April 25 1:00 12:30 PM UT Martin Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 5–3 6 (Rain) 156 Haley Chambers (21–5) Elizabeth Wiegand
April 26 1:00 PM Noon UT Martin Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 3–0 167 Baylee Douglass (15–5) Casey Vincent
April 25 26 3:00 PM UT Martin Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 3–2 167 Baylee Douglass (16–5) Elizabeth Wiegand
April 28* 4:00 PM Saint Louis The Billiken Sports Center • St. Louis, MO L 2–7 85 Maddie Baalman Baylee Douglass (15–6)
May 2 1:00 PM Eastern Illinois Williams Field • Charleston, IL W 7–2 464 Haley Chambers (22–5) Jessica Wireman
May 2 3:00 PM Eastern Illinois Williams Field • Charleston, IL L 3–4 464 Michelle Rogers Baylee Douglass (15–7)
May 3 1:00 PM Eastern Illinois Williams Field • Charleston, IL L 0–1 10 468 Jessica Wireman Haley Chambers (22–6)
2015 Ohio Valley Conference softball tournament
May 6 5:30 PM Morehead State Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 8–3 344 Haley Chambers (23–6) Tanna Seuferer
May 7 3:00 PM Tennessee Tech Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL L 1–4 353 Danielle Liberatore Haley Chambers (23–7)
May 8 9:00 AM Eastern Illinois Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 10–2 5 n/a Haley Chambers (24–7) Jessica Wireman
May-8- 9 4:30 PM 10:00 AM Jacksonville State Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 8–0 6 313 Haley Chambers (25–7) Taylor West
May 9 12:30 4:30 PM Murray State Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL W 2–1 313 Baylee Douglass (17–7) CheyAnne Gaskey
May 9 9:51 PM Tennessee Tech Cougar Field • Edwardsville, IL L 2–3 313 Danielle Liberatore Baylee Douglass (17–8)
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from NFCA released prior to game.All times are in Central Time Zone[5].

References

  1. "Softball". Ohio Valley Conference. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  2. "OVC Member Institutions". Ohio Valley Conference. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  3. "2015 SIUE Softball Roster". SIU Edwardsville. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  4. "SIUE Picked to Win the 2015 OVC Softball Race". Ohio Valley Conference. January 20, 2015. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "2015 SIUE Softball Schedule". SIU Edwardsville. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  6. "Softball starts season with tournament victory". The Alestle. February 9, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  7. "SIUE goes unbeaten at Florida Tournament". Belleville News Democrat. March 8, 2015. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  8. "COLLEGE SOFTBALL: SIUE's Chambers 'beyond lights out' with 20 K's, perfect game". The Telegraph. March 22, 2015. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  9. "SIUE Softball No-Hitters". SIUE Cougars. Archived from the original on April 1, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  10. "OVC Softball Report - March 23". Ohio Valley Conference. March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  11. "SIUE's Chambers, Weber State's Hingsberger Named Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Pitcher and Player of the Week". National Fastpitch Coaches Association. March 24, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  12. "Top 25 Finalists Announced for the NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Award". National Fastpitch Coaches Association. April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  13. "Division I Softball Statistics". NCAA. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  14. "SIUE's Douglass Among National Finalists". SIUE Cougars. April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  15. "SIUE's Douglass Among National Finalists". Ohio Valley Conference. April 30, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  16. "SIUE Softball Clinches OVC Regular Season". SIUE Cougars. May 2, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  17. "Murray State's Twaddle and SIUE's Chambers Headline Softball Postseason Awards". Ohio Valley Conference. May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  18. "COLLEGE SOFTBALL: SIUE rallies to win OVC Tourney opener". The Telegraph. May 6, 2015. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  19. "Tech softball knocks off top-seeded SIUE". Herald-Citizen. May 8, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  20. "OVC Softball Championship Recaps - May 8". Ohio Valley Conference. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  21. "JSU softball: Gamecocks' season comes to end with OVC tourney loss". The Anniston Star. May 9, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  22. "Season ends for Murray State softball in OVC Tournament". WorldNow and KFVS12. May 9, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  23. "Tennessee Tech wins OVC softball tournament". The Tennessean. May 10, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  24. "Tennessee Tech Wins 2015 Softball Championship". Ohio Valley Conference. April 9, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  25. "2015 SIUE Softball Roster". SIUE Cougars. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
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