SIU softball took two out of the three games they played this weekend in the Coach B Classic, their first homestand of the season. Starting off on Friday, the team beat Ball State University 12-7 in a comeback win.

The Salukis played a double header on Saturday, where they were shutout to #17 ranked Northwestern 0-1, but came back strong later against Northern Kentucky University with a 4-0 shutout win.

Set to play the finale on Sunday, rain had other plans as the game was rained out after the first inning and will not be made up.

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Against Ball State on Friday, SIU didn’t start off how they wanted to. After three innings, they were already down 7-1 and things didn’t look good, but the bottom of the fifth flipped the script entirely. Eight runs were plated in the half inning and put the Salukis up 10-7 and just needed six more outs to seal the deal. Two more runs were scored in the bottom of the sixth and a solid top of the seventh by pitcher Sarah Harness sealed the deal for the Salukis.

Early on Saturday, A big task faced the Salukis facing #17 ranked Northwestern. It turned out to be a pitchers dual as both Sarah Harness and Danielle Williams netted just one earned run combined between the two. Harness kept the Wildcats to just five hits all day, where only one went for extra bases.

SIU had an opportunity early in the second, with the bases loaded, but came up with nothing to show for it. In the third, the Wildcats cracked open the scoring with an RBI single up the middle. This would end up being the winning hit as Southern could not bank on anymore opportunities the rest of the game. In the seventh with a runner on second and third with two outs, the Salukis had a chance to tie it late and possibly win it, but outfielder Elizabeth Warwick struck out as they went down 1-0.

The Salukis wouldn’t let the loss stick with them the rest of the day as they moved onto Northern Kentucky University. Pitcher Maddy Eberle would keep the pitching success going with a two-hit performance and a shutout to win it 4-0. She carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning. Two run innings in the fourth and sixth would be just enough for SIU.

Aubree DePron would notch a two RBI single with the bases loaded in the fourth. DePron would do it again in the sixth with another rbi single. Later, a wild pitch would score Emma Austin for their fourth run of the game. Another great seventh inning by Eberle would close out the game and notch the Salukis eighth win of the season.

The Salukis will try to continue their success with another homestand next weekend in the Saluki Invitational with five games being played across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday next weekend.

Sports reporter Joseph Bernard can be reached at [email protected] or on twitter @Jojobernard2001.

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