Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's softball team is set to host its first tournament of the season, the Coach B Classic, at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale. The event will take place from Friday through Sunday and feature teams from Central Arkansas, Purdue, and Purdue Fort Wayne.

The Salukis have returned home after participating in three consecutive away tournaments. Their recent performance at the San Marcos Classic saw them go 0-4 against Texas State and Kansas. Despite their struggles, there were standout performances from players like Haley Wilkerson and McKenzie Newcomb.

"Southern opened the Classic with a 4-1 loss to Kansas on Sunday," noted an official report. "Haley Wilkerson drove in SIU's only run with a solo home run, her first of the season."

As they prepare for this weekend's matches, Southern Illinois holds a varied history with its opponents. They have faced Central Arkansas twice before, winning once and losing once. Their encounters with Purdue show a slightly less favorable record of 3 wins to 5 losses overall but included a split last year during the Michelle Short Memorial Classic.

Purdue Fort Wayne has been matched against SIU twice previously at the Coach B Classic in 2020, where Southern secured victories in both games.

Fans interested in following the tournament can keep up with live results or watch selected games online. Updates are also available via social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook under @SIU_Softball or by downloading the "Salukis" Mobile App.