The SIU Softball team hosted the Saluki Invitational this past weekend from Sunday until Monday playing against EIU once and SIUE twice throughout the invitational. The Salukis earned wins in both games against SIUE, but lost their solo game against EIU.

Starting off the tournament was SIU’s matchup against the Panthers of Eastern Illinois. The Salukis gave up the first runs off a two-run homer in the third but tied things back up by the fourth inning after a Elizabeth Huckleberry sac fly in the bottom of the fourth. Then came a less than a helpful fifth inning, in which junior pitcher Sarah Harness gave up nine runs in the inning before she was replaced by Alexis Rudd.

SIU lessened the deficit later on with a four-run fifth inning and a three-run seventh inning, but ultimately it was too much to come back from and SIU went down in a high-scoring affair at 13-9 to the Panthers.

Game two on Sunday had a much better result for SIU, as they won big-time with an 11-3 final score against sister school SIUE. Edwardsville actually had a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth, but the Salukis came out swinging from then on. A bunt by Aubree Depron scored a runner from third, then a two-rbi single by sophomore Rylie Hamilton gave SIU the lead for good at 4-3.

The next at-bat saw graduate student Jenny Jansen homer out to left-field to score two more runs and make it 6-3 before the Salukis even knew it. They made it to the fifth inning and the hits kept on coming for the Salukis. With runners on second and third, Aubree Depron homered out to right-field to score three more runs to make it 9-3. Then, a walk by Huckleberry earned the tenth run and a hit-by-pitch by junior Kerrigan Gamm earned the winning run with the bases loaded to put the game final at 11-3.

Monday’s game saw a rematch against SIUE and once again, the Cougars took a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the fourth, but another huge inning for SIU earned them the lead once, similar to the last game. With runners on first and second, sophomore Elizabeth Warwick doubled out to left-center field to take the lead at 3-2. Later, senior Sidney Sikes singled to left field and scored two more runs. Senior Ashley Wood later earned a rbi with a single to right-field and some wild pitches gave SIU two more unearned runs later to make it 8-2 heading into the fifth.

A two-run inning for the Cougars in the top of the sixth lessened the deficit but was too much for them to overcome as SIUC would take the weekend sweep of sister school SIUE with a 9-4 final score.

The Salukis will continue their season with a road trip this Wednesday to start their conference season against Missouri State University with a doubleheader starting at 12 and 2:30 p.m.

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

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