Southern Illinois News

Salukis Sweep Opening Day at FGCU Invite

The Southern Illinois softball team got off to a hot start to the 2023 season with a pair of victories at the FGCU Invitational. The Salukis opened play with an afternoon shutout over Long Island University. Junior transfer Hannah Hockerman made her SIU debut in the circle, throwing four hitless innings while striking out three batters to earn herself her first victory of the season. Madi Eberle came in for the save, throwing three scoreless innings and allowing just one hit. The two pitchers allowed just four baserunners while facing a combined 23 batters. The Salukis were solid defensively as well, finishing the contest with zero errors. 

"Our defense and the running game won that first game," said head coach Jen Sewell following the victory. Today's 3-0 win marks Coach Sewell's first win as the head coach of the Southern Illinois Salukis.   

Preseason All-MVC honorees Elizabeth Warwick and Rylie Hamilton gave the Salukis an early lead after Warwick drew a walk to lead off the game and was later driven home by a Hamilton single in the top of the first. Hamilton went 2-for-3 in the opening game with a double while Warwick got on twice with a walk and a hit going 1-for-3 with an RBI as well. Senior center fielder Aubree DePron recorded a pair of hits against the Sharks going 2-for-3. 

Southern Illinois got off to another quick start in the first inning in game two of the day against Florida Gulf Coast University this time with a Jackie Lis home run. The home run was the first of the freshmans' collegiate career in just her fourth at-bat. 

Following the home run however, the Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the second and proceeded to take a 3-1 lead in the third. The Salukis allowed several runners throughout the inning due to a walk, a single, and a pair of errors but freshman Elliott Stinson was able to get out of the jam and leave two runners on. 

"I'm just impressed by our pitching staff today. All three saw some big moments on the field. A couple times they had to bend but they didn't break," coach Sewell explained following game two. 

After a stagnant fourth inning from both sides, SIU took a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning behind a three-run home run from Rylie Hamilton to score Warwick and Lis. The Salukis continued to take good at-bats as Emma Austin walked followed by three consecutive singles from Addi Baker, Kerrigan Gamm, and Aubree DePron. Gamm and DePron both drove in runs to extend Southern's lead to 6-3 by the end of the fifth. 

"The second game was about big swings in big moments - Lis throwing that first punch was big and Rylie Hamilton's was a no-doubter," said coach Sewell. 

Madi Eberle returned to the mound for game two, this time earning a win rather than a save. Eberle threw four scoreless innings with six strikeouts and zero walks to secure the Saluki win. 

"Our goal for tomorrow will be to put a complete game together - pitching, offense, and defense. I thought we always had two out of the three today but we will get there," explained coach Sewell. "This team let us coach them. That FGCU game was late but we brought the energy into a home crowd and got out with a win. Excited to get off to a good start and build off of it." 

Southern returns to action tomorrow for another doubleheader at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. against Binghamton University and UNC Greensboro.

Original source can be found here