Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's softball team concluded their 14-game homestand with a victory over Missouri State, marking their eighth consecutive win. The Salukis defeated the Bears 9-2 in a game characterized by strong offense and effective pitching.

Head coach Jen Sewell expressed satisfaction with her team's performance, stating, "After last night, it was kind of like hanging on a little bit. I was just super impressed we did very consistent throughout the whole game and did not panic."

Anna Carder played a pivotal role in the victory with a grand slam that contributed four RBIs. Mikaela Coburn and Sage Grann each had three hits, while Kiana McDowell secured her first win of the season by allowing only two runs over five innings.

The game saw SIU take an early lead in the first inning when Erin Lee's single brought Jackie Lis home. Missouri State quickly tied it up in the second inning following wild pitches from McDowell and a subsequent triple.

SIU regained control in the bottom of the second as Grann's hit allowed Coburn to score. After a scoreless third inning, Lis doubled in the fourth to extend SIU's lead to 3-1.

In the fifth inning, Emily Williams hit a solo home run followed by Carder's grand slam after bases were loaded, increasing SIU's advantage to 8-1. Missouri State managed another run in the sixth before Addi Baker responded with a solo homer for SIU.

Emma Gipson closed out the game for Southern Illinois in the seventh inning, ensuring their 9-2 triumph.

Looking ahead, Southern Illinois will begin an away series against Valparaiso starting Friday, March 21 at 3 p.m.

For updates on Southern Illinois softball, fans can follow them on Twitter at @SIU_Softball or Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiSoftball. The "Salukis" Mobile App is also available for download on both iOS and Android platforms.