Ten innings of five hit-softball from freshman pitcher Brianna Jones wasn’t enough to sweep Saturday’s games as SIU split the final day of the Stetson Invitational.

Jones started the day with her fifth complete-game shutout in six starts, allowing three hits and striking out nine, in a 4-0 win against Colgate.

SIU scratched its first run of the game in the fourth inning on a wild pitch by Colgate starter Brigit Ieuter and tacked on another in the inning with a crafty double steal by freshman left fielder Eyrika Brandenburg and sophomore second baseman Savannah Fisher.

The Dawgs were helped offensively by their No. three and four hitters: sophomore infielder Sydney Jones and junior first baseman Shaye Harre. Both reached base on three of their four plate appearances. 

Both also added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning off a senior utility player Caylee Cook double.

With the win over Colgate, SIU surpassed its non-conference win total from last year with seven.

Junior center fielder Merri Anne Patterson also continued her strong weekend, going 2-4 with a double and a stolen base.

Sophomore pitcher Savanna Dover started the second game of the day, and the last of the Invitational, against host-school Stetson.

Dover (2-3, 4.12 ERA) had the bases loaded in the top of the first after allowing two walks and a hit by pitch. She got out of the inning unscathed thanks to two strikeouts in the frame.

The sophomore finished with three earned runs on seven hits, four walks, four strikeouts and one hit by pitch in the 4-1 loss.

Stetson junior left fielder Kelsey Waters and junior right fielder Lydia Kinney — with senior center fielder Molly Shasteen — finished a combined 5-8 with all four RBIs, three doubles, three strikeouts, one run and one walk.

Dover had allowed one extra-base hit entering the game.

Stetson extended the lead to 2-0 in the third, but SIU got the run back in its half of the inning. Senior shortstop Kelsey Gonzalez got SIU’s first hit, 11 batters into the game, with a double to left-center field.

Jones’ groundout advanced Gonzalez to third, and Harre’s single plated the run.

Harre finished the weekend 5-10 with five RBIs, two runs and three walks — one intentional.

Brianna Jones came in relief of Dover in the fifth inning with two on and no outs. Jones hit her first batter faced and a sacrifice extended the lead to 3-1.

The freshman finished her relief appearance with three innings pitched, allowing two hits and collecting two strikeouts.

SIU threatened in the fifth inning as the first two batters reached base, but a lack of patience at the plate halted their chances. Gonzalez flied out on her first pitch, Jones grounded out on her second and Cook flied out on her first.

Through five innings the teams combined for 10 hits and 17 runners left on base.

Stetson added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, but it wasn’t needed as freshman pitcher Brooke Hutto set down 10 of the final 14 Salukis she faced.

Hutto (6-1) finished the game with three hits allowed, six walks, four strikeouts and one earned run in seven innings pitched.

SIU opens the home schedule at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Charlotte West Stadium against Eastern Illinois for the Coach B Classic.

Sean Carley contributed to this story.

Brent Meske can be reached at [email protected] or at 536-3333.