Saluki softball powered through five games in three days in Las Vegas, but only brought home two wins.

The Salukis (11-13) started off their weekend in the Rebel Classic with a win against UNLV (13-8) in the first game of their doubleheader.

Dawgs relied on one run off seven hits and the Rebels ended with no runs off four hits.

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Freshman designated player Katelyn Massa homered to left field in the top of the seventh inning to give SIU its only run of the game.

Sophomore pitcher Nicole Doyle earned the win. She allowed just four hits and struck out seven in the complete-game shutout.

SIU finished its first doubleheader of the series against New Mexico State.

The defense was top notch for both sides of the diamond until the game extended into extra innings, but ending in the ninth when New Mexico State’s redshirt sophomore Merina Ili brought home this game’s only run.

Brianna Jones pitched 8.1 innings and allowed only four hits out of 28 batters faced, but still picked up the loss.

The second day in Sin City was not too bright for the Salukis.

The day began with another game against the last team they played the day before, New Mexico State University (10-13).

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After NMSU scored a run off a pop fly out to right field by sophomore Kelsey Horton in the first inning, Salukis bats came in hot early on.

Senior Merri Anne Patterson was brought home after freshman Bailee Pulley grounded out to second base, the end of the second inning brought SIU back on the board on top, 2-1.

But in the third, junior Sydney Jones homered and earned herself two RBI’s, and advancing the score for the Salukis 4-1.

The Dawgs didn’t stay in the lead for long. In the sixth inning, after a two-run RBI by freshman Jeanelle Medina, tieing the score, 4-4.

The game proceeded into extras yet again, and NMSU came through with three more runs, ending the game on top with a score of 7-4 for the Aggies second win against SIU.

The fourth game for the Salukis was against DePaul (10-13) and Jones took the mound for SIU once again.

She did not allow any hits until the third inning when the Blue Demons took the lead 1-0 on a RBI single from junior Haydn Christensen.

Massa delivered for the Salukis once again in the sixth with a RBI double to tie the score, 1-1.

But for the third game in a row, extra innings were needed.

The game ended with DePaul earning one more run with a sacrifice fly in favor of the Blue Demons, 2-1.

SIU ended its second day at the Rebel Classic with a doubleheader loss but had one more game to go before heading back home.

The final day at the tournament consisted of just one game for the Salukis (11-13) against Portland State University (1-18).

Pitching for Southern was Doyle, who showed early on in the game she came to play.

The Saluki offense was ready at the plate and they didn’t hesitate to show they were.

Sophomore Eyrika Brandenburg was the first to score off a hit from senior Shaye Harre, bringing in the first run of the game in the bottom of the first.

The improved on-base hitting coupled with walks from PSU freshman pitcher Emma Detamore brought the Salukis to a comfortable lead.

The score at the end of the first inning was 7-1.

Portland scored two runs in the third inning off Doyle, but it did not seem to bother the Salukis at all.

SIU scored three more runs later to end the game in a 10-2 run-rule victory.

The Salukis will finish their road trip against Southern Utah at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Cedar City, Utah.

Sports reporter Gabriella Scibetta can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @gscibetta_DE.

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