Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University (SIU) softball team concluded its participation in the San Marcos Classic with two defeats against Kansas and Texas State. The games, held on Monday, resulted in a narrow 2-1 loss to Kansas in extra innings and a more decisive 13-0 defeat by Texas State.

In the matchup against Kansas, SIU's Emma Austin achieved a multi-hit game going 2-3 at bat. Mikaela Coburn scored the only run for the Salukis. McKenzie Newcomb pitched six innings and allowed just one earned run, demonstrating strong performance despite the team's loss.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when SIU took a 1-0 lead after Anna Carder reached on an error, allowing Coburn to score. However, Kansas managed to tie the game in the seventh inning and secured their victory with a double in the eighth inning that brought home the automatic runner from second base.

In their second game of the day, SIU faced Texas State. Only Hayden Kurtz and Amanda Knutson registered hits for SIU as Texas State took control early. An error in the outfield followed by an RBI single helped Texas State secure an 8-0 lead by the end of the second inning. They continued to dominate with five additional runs, ending the game at 13-0 after five innings.

SIU will now focus on preparing for its first home series of the year during the Coach B. Classic starting Friday. The Salukis are set to face Central Arkansas at 4 p.m.

Fans can follow updates on SIU Softball through Twitter @SIU_Softball, Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiSoftball, Instagram @SIU_Softball, or via the "Salukis" Mobile App available on both iOS and Android platforms.