Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University softball team experienced a narrow loss to Northern Iowa with a final score of 6-5 on Friday, ending their eight-game winning streak. The game, played in Cedar Falls, Iowa, featured an intense competition with the Salukis out-hitting UNI 11-5 and both teams committing no errors.

Freshman Kaytee Dahlstrom played for the Salukis, pitching for 5.2 innings and concluding the game with six earned runs, four walks, and four strikeouts. Southern Illinois managed to hit three home runs with sophomore Emily Williams contributing two and Anna Carder adding the third. Multiple players, including Williams and Carder, also achieved more than one hit in the game.

The Salukis began with an early advantage when Anna Carder hit a solo home run in the first inning, her sixth of the season. However, Northern Iowa quickly responded and took the lead in the following innings. Williams hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to close the gap, and later, another home run to tie the game at 5-5 in the sixth. Despite loading the bases in the seventh inning, the team was unable to score the game-tying run.

Southern Illinois will continue their series with a doubleheader at Northern Iowa.