Junior catcher Sydney Potter dug into the box with the Dawgs trailing the Racers by two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Potter launched a ball over the left field fence of Charlotte West Stadium to tie the game at 5-5, and send the game into extra innings. With that clutch home run, Potter ties the single-season home run record at 17.

The No. 2 Southern Illinois Salukis faced off against the No. 3 Murray State Racers on Thursday, May 7 at Charlotte West Stadium for the Salukis first matchup in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Murray State defeated Evansville on Wednesday, May 6 while the Salukis received a first-round bye to begin the tournament. 

The MVC Tournament is a double-elimination format, so neither team was eliminated with a loss. The winner would advance to play first-seeded Belmont, and the loser would await the victory of the elimination game between fourth-seeded Northern Iowa and fifth-seeded Illinois State. 

The game began with freshman pitcher Brookly Danielson starting inside the circle for the Salukis. Danielson walked one Racer in the top of the first, but didn’t allow a run. 

The Southern Illinois offense wasted no time in the bottom of the first, and junior third baseman Amanda Knutson hit an RBI double into the left-center gap to score redshirt sophomore right fielder Moleah Blomankamp. The Salukis led the racers 1-0 after the first inning. 

Murray Stae hit a solo home run off of Danielson to tie the game at 1-1 entering the bottom of the second inning.

The Dawgs retook the lead in the bottom of the second when sophomore first baseman Hayden Kurtz hit an RBI single down the left field line to score senior second baseman Erin Lee. SIU was ahead of the Racers 2-1 after two innings.

The Racers struck in the top of the third inning with a three-run home run off Danielson to go up 4-2. Freshman pitcher Hailey Lucas relieved Danielson after the home run. Danielson finished with two and two-thirds innings pitched, surrendering two hits and four earned runs while notching five strikeouts. Lucas finished the third inning without letting up any other runs. 

The Dawgs were held scoreless in the bottom of the third inning. The Saluki offense left 11 runners on base during the contest. Through the first three innings, Southern Illinois left eight runners on base. Murray State was in front 4-2 after three innings.

The Racers added to the lead in the top of the fourth with a solo home run hit off Lucas. Lucas would finish the top of the fourth inning with the Salukis trailing the racers 5-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, Knutson swung and made strong contact, sending a ball high and deep to left field. The ball cleared the wall, and the Salukis cut the Racer’s lead to two. Knutson now has eight home runs on the season. The score was 5-3 in favor of Murray State after four innings.

Junior pitcher Emily Delgado entered the game in the top of the fifth. Lucas exited the contest, finishing with one and one-third innings pitched, allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out one Racer batter.

Delgado held the Racer bats scoreless in the top of the fifth. The Saluki offense was also held scoreless in the bottom of the fifth. The score remained 5-3, Murray State leading SIU after five innings.

Delgado continued to keep Murray State off the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning. A racer’s single was the lone hit in the sixth, and weak contact and a strikeout got the Dawgs out of the inning. However, the Saluki offense was stifled in the bottom of the sixth inning and couldn’t muster any baserunners. The score was still 5-3, Racers on top after six innings.

Delgado struck out all three batters she faced in the seventh. The Salukis headed to the bottom of the seventh needing two runs to send the game to extra innings, or three runs to walk the game off with a victory. 

Knutson came through with a single to third base. With one out and one Saluki on base, Potter stepped up to the plate and delivered a two-run homer to left field. Potter tied the game at 5-5. With her 17th home run this season, Potter also tied the single-season home run record at SIU. Potter is tied for the record with teammate Emily Williams, who hit 17 homers in 2025, and former Saluki and current Texas Tech Red Raider Jackie Lis, who hit 17 home runs at SIU in 2023.

SIU scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh on the Potter long ball, sending the game to extra innings. The score was 5-5  heading into the eight inning.

Delgado pitched around a single, holding the Racers scoreless in the top of the eighth inning. In the bottom of the eighth, the Salukis were unable to capitalize on a Blomenkamp single. The contest remained knotted up at 5-5 going into the ninth inning.

Murray State broke the tie in the top of the ninth with an RBI single down the right field line. The score was 6-5, Racers leading the Dawgs with SIU coming up in the bottom of the ninth.

Two quick outs put Southern Illinois down to its last out. Sophomore left fielder Sage Grann kept the line moving after being hit by a pitch. However, the Salukis couldn’t get the bats going and lost to Murray State by a final score of 6-5 in nine innings.

The third-seeded Murray State Racers will advance to take on the first-seeded Belmont Bruins. That game will take place on Friday, May 8, with first pitch set for 12 p.m. at Charlotte West Stadium.

The Dawgs will play again on Friday, May 8, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Charlotte West Stadium. 

Sports reporter Aaron Carnahan can be reached at [email protected]

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