Saluki softball put on an offensive show of force Wednesday that hadn’t been done since April 6, 2013.

SIU took advantage of a nine-run fifth inning to top Saint Louis in a five-inning run rule shortened game, 14-2.

Junior first baseman Shaye Harre hit two home runs in the game, the first time that feat has been accomplished since junior center fielder Merri Anne Patterson did it March 22 of last year. Harre finished with a career-high five RBIs and has a career-high six home runs on the season.

“The first pitch of the at-bat was in so I just decided to get a good hack at it,” Harre said of the first home run. “[After that], I knew that they wouldn’t come in at me, so I crowded the plate and went opposite field with it.”

Senior utility player Caylee Cook followed Harre’s first home run with one of her own in the next at-bat to go back-to-back.

Coach Kerri Blaylock said after the game that Harre’s personality is the key to her success.

“The kid is never too high, the kid is never too low,” she said. “If you could build a mold and say how do you want a hitter to be, that’s how you want them to be. It doesn’t surprise me when she does that.”

Her second home run gave the Salukis (13-8) a 7-2 lead and began the nine-run fifth.

Sophomore utility player Jessica Heese ended the scoring in the inning with a grand slam.

The top of SIU’s order did damage all day, going a combined 6-13 with three home runs and eight runs scored from the No. 1 through No. 4 hitters.

The nine-run inning came after the Billikens (8-12) scored two in the fourth inning to trim the lead to three, which Blaylock said is what she’s most proud of.

“Saint Louis is a very good hitting team,” she said. “I kept telling the kids that they can’t let down, and boy they didn’t. They did a great job.”

Every Saluki batter — except one — scored at least one run while six different players got a hit.

Blaylock said mid-week games were a point of emphasis this season after going 3-5 in such games last season. 

Outside of the two-run inning, freshman pitcher Brianna Jones once again had a stellar performance.

She allowed three hits in the contest while striking out five en route to her 11th win on the season. Jones (11-3) is in 11 starts with a 1.59 ERA and 72 strikeouts.

The Dawgs will try to keep their offensive efficiency alive this weekend in the Missouri Valley Conference opener against Loyola on Saturday at Charlotte West Stadium.

“Hopefully this will keep us rolling and we’ll go into Loyola like this,” Harre said. “We just want to keep it going and hopefully we’ll be able to put 14 runs up like this.”

Sean Carley can be reached at [email protected] or at 618-534-3307.