Carbondale Reporter

The Southern Illinois University (SIU) softball team has secured the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) regular season title for the second year in a row. On Sunday, SIU triumphed over Evansville with a decisive 11-1 victory, ensuring the top spot in the conference standings.

Head coach Jen Sewell expressed her satisfaction with the team's performance. "Just incredibly proud of our players and their fight today," Sewell remarked. "Their regular season is an incredible body of work. What they went through in February to never question it and then get on this roll is quite the feat. When players come to this program they know the target is always on their back. And once again these seniors leave their mark. We became a team in the toughest moments. Can't wait to get to work in Des Moines."

This victory marks the second consecutive MVC regular season title for SIU and the first time the team has achieved back-to-back championships since the 2004-05 seasons. SIU had previously won the MVC title in 2010 and earned a regular season title in the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference (GCAC) back in 1991.

SIU ended the regular season with a 21-5 conference record and a 31-19 overall record, earning them the No. 1 seed in the upcoming MVC Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. The tournament is set to begin on Thursday, May 8, with SIU's first game scheduled at 10 a.m. against an opponent yet to be determined.

In the championship-clinching game, SIU performed strongly with 11 runs on 14 hits. McKenzie Newcomb earned her 19th win of the season, while Emma Austin and Emily Williams each contributed three-hit games. Anna Carder led with three RBIs on a 2-for-5 effort.

The game began with SIU taking an early lead, scoring multiple times in the ensuing innings. Notably, Emily Williams hit a two-run home run, her 16th of the year, tying her for the second-most in a single season in program history with her teammate Jackie Lis from the previous season.

SIU looks forward to the MVC Tournament, with the team poised as the top seed, waiting to discover their quarterfinal opponent.

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