Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's softball team is set to begin its Missouri Valley Conference play against Illinois State this weekend. The series will take place from Friday to Sunday at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois.

Last weekend, Southern Illinois concluded their non-conference tournament schedule by hosting the Saluki Invitational, where they achieved a 3-1 record. Their only defeat came against Wisconsin with a score of 2-1. Addi Baker contributed with a solo home run, while Emma Austin had an impressive performance, going 4-for-4 at the plate.

The team bounced back by defeating Northern Illinois 8-0 later on Saturday. Several players including Erin Lee and Baker made significant contributions with RBIs. Freshmen Emma Gipson and Kaytee Dahlstrom combined efforts for the shutout.

On Sunday, Southern Illinois secured a 7-3 victory over Wisconsin and ended the invitational with a 4-1 win against Northern Illinois. Jackie Lis made history by hitting her 40th career home run, setting a new record for SIU.

Following their performances at the Saluki Invitational, Austin was named Player of the Week and Newcomb received the Newcomer of the Week award from MVC. Austin's batting average was .667 over four games, while Newcomb recorded an ERA of 0.70 in two appearances against Wisconsin.

Illinois State leads their historical rivalry with Southern Illinois at 71-67. Their last encounter was during last season's MVC Tournament semi-finals where Southern won with a four-run seventh inning comeback.

Fans can stay updated on Salukis' news through Twitter (@SIU_Softball), Facebook (Facebook.com/SalukiSoftball), Instagram (@SIU_Softball), or via the "Salukis" Mobile App available on app stores.