The reigning Missouri Valley Conference champions took the field for the first time in 2022, going 2-2 on Friday and Saturday in the Trojan Classic in Troy, Alabama.

The highlight of the weekend was sophomore Madi Eberle throwing the 33rd no-hitter in school history – and the first since Brianna Jones in 2019 – in an 8-0 five-inning victory Saturday morning over Purdue-Fort Wayne. A walk and a hit batter were the only things standing between Eberle and a perfect game.

SIU’s other win over the weekend came in their first game of the season, when they came out swinging to the tune of six runs in the first inning on their way to an 8-2 win over the College of Charleston on Friday morning.

Advertisement

Both days saw the Salukis play a nightcap against the host Troy Trojans, who like SIU also made the NCAA Tournament in 2021.

Friday evening’s contest was a pitcher’s duel. Outfielder Jenny Jansen turned a first-inning 13-pitch at-bat into a sacrifice fly for SIU’s only run of the game, as Troy’s Leanna Johnson held the Salukis to just two hits on their way to a walkoff 2-1 win.

Eberle pitched well in her first start, only giving up three hits in the first six innings, but two extra-base hits to lead off the bottom of the seventh were all the Trojans needed to take the victory.

Their second contest with Troy came shortly after Eberle’s no-hitter against Purdue-Fort Wayne on Saturday. Once again, the Salukis had no answer for Johnson who held them to just three hits. This time, it was junior Sarah Harness who was pinned with the loss despite only five hits allowed in six innings. Of those five hits, three of them were home runs as the Trojans prevailed 4-2.

Senior Ashley Wood led the team with four hits and three walks in the Trojan Classic. She reached base multiple times in three of the four games.

Despite going 2-for-12 over the weekend, Jansen racked up six RBIs. Three came during Saturday morning’s Purdue-Fort Wayne win, while two more came in a game-tying sixth inning home run later that day against Troy.

Saluki softball will head down to Starkville, Mississippi next weekend for the Bulldog Classic hosted by Mississippi State. They will open both Friday and Saturday against Georgia Tech, and have nightcaps against the host Bulldogs on Friday and Central Arkansas on Saturday.

Advertisement*

Staff reporter Brandyn Wilcoxen can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @Brandyn_2020. To stay up to date with all your southern Illinois news, follow the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.

Advertisement