Saturday, February 8
Auburn, Ala.
12:30 PM
Southern Illinois University
at
Auburn
Preview | Softball Opens 2025 Season at Tiger Invitational
02/06/2025 | 10:00:00 | Softball
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois University softball is ready to open its 2025 season this weekend when it travels to the Tiger Invitational for five games versus Appalachian State, Auburn, and North Carolina.
Details
-What: Tiger Invitational
-Date: Friday, Feb. 7 – Sunday, Feb. 9
-Location: Jane B. Moore Field | Auburn, Ala.
-Opponents: Appalachian State (twice), Auburn (twice), North Carolina
-Live Results: Appalachian State (Friday, 10 a.m.) | Auburn (Friday, 3 p.m.) | Auburn (Saturday, 12:30 p.m.) | North Carolina (Saturday, 5:30 p.m.) | Appalachian State (Sunday, 9 a.m.)
-Watch: Auburn (Friday, 3 p.m.)
-Listen: https://thevarsitynetwork.com
What Coach Has to Say
"I think we can talk about expectations all we want but it's time to go out and test ourselves against the best," head coach Jen Sewell said. "We are a program that year in and year out has the same standards. But we will know a lot more coming out these first three weeks. It's time to play someone else besides ourselves. I can tell players are excited to get on the road and get to work."
Last Season
The Salukis are coming off their second straight Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship and second straight trip to the NCAA Regionals.
Over the course of the 2024 season, SIU compiled a record of 44-11 while going 23-4 in MVC play. Its 44 wins were three shy of tying the program record for most wins in a season, which was set in 2005 when the team won 47 games.
Come tournament time, the Salukis used a pair of Elizabeth Warwick walkoffs to advance past Murray State and Illinois State and into the tournament championship against UNI. After UNI jumped out to a 2-0 lead, Southern rattled off three straight runs and held on the rest of the way to win, 3-2, claiming its second straight MVC title and booking a trip to NCAA Regionals in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Down in Louisiana, the Salukis won a pair of games versus Cal, 5-4 and 3-2. However, SIU could not get past No. 9 LSU, losing a pair of games to the Tigers, 4-1 and 9-0, ending its postseason run and 2024 season.
Following the completion of the season, several Salukis and the coaching staff were recognized for their achievements during the season. Sophomore Jackie Lis was named MVC Player of the Year, and freshman Maddia Groff was Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Meanwhile, Coach Sewell and her staff were named Coaching Staff of the Year. As for All-MVC players, Lis and Groff earned a spot on the First Team, as did Warwick. Three more Salukis found their way onto the All-MVC Second Team: Sidney Jones, Rylie Hamilton, and Emma Austin.
Notable Returners
Despite losing high-impact players like Warwick, Groff, Hamilton, and Jones, the Salukis return a solid group of veterans.
After gathering a hefty collection of hardware last season, Lis earned more recognition during this past preseason. D1Softball ranked Lis as the No. 2 shortstop in the nation and the No. 51 player overall. Meanwhile, Softball America had the junior as the No. 69 player in Division I; she was the only MVC representation on the list. She also made the MVC All-Preseason Team. Last year, Lis led the team in numerous offensive stats, including batting average, home runs, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits, RBIs, and walks.
Joining Lis on the All-Preseason Team is Austin. A two-time All-MVC Second Team member, Austin started in all 55 games for the Salukis last season and led the conference in stolen bases with 24 on 26 attempts, which was tied for fourth-most in a single season at SIU. Her 46 career stolen bases are currently tied for sixth most in SIU history. Austin brings a strong glove as well, making just one error on 103 chances last year in center field.
Other notable returners include Erin Lee, Anna Carder, and Addi Baker. Lee appeared in 46 games last season, starting 44 of them primarily at second base. She posted a batting average of .235, an on-base percentage of .350, and hit one home run with 14 RBIs. Carder looks to be the primary backstop for the Salukis. The 2023 All-MVC Second Team member was MVC Player of the Week last season for the week of March 19 after she hit a grand slam versus Drake. Carder came up big in the playoffs for SIU as well, going 3-3 in the MVC Tournament as well as 2-2 against Cal in a NCAA Regional elimination game on May 18. As for Baker, she is the only other returner who started 20 or more games last season. In her 33 appearances, Baker batted .227 with a .409 slugging percentage. She drove in 14 runs and hit two home runs.
"I think I'm most excited to watch these captains and upperclassmen take over and really have their team," Sewell said. "Each year is a new dynamic and whether it's the lineup card or just the overall personality – we want to see what type of team we have when they are tested."
Impactful Newcomers
Seven of SIU's 12 newcomers are freshmen: Avery Hixson, Sarah Cook, Hayden Kurtz, Emma Gipson, Kaytee Dahlstrom, Sage Grann, and Jordyn Stuessy. Dahlstrom, a pitcher, and Grann, an infielder and outfielder, were both named to Softball America's Freshman Watch List.
SIU also welcomes five transfers into the ranks.
Outfielder Charley Pursley comes to SIU from Austin Peay. While at Austin Peay, Pursley scored eight runs as a sophomore in 2024, including the game-winner in extra innings against Queens on April 21. During her freshman year in 2023, Pursley played in 20 games, starting 10 of them. She was also an NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete during her two seasons in Clarksville, Tenn.
From Morehead State, the Salukis picked up infielder and catcher Emily Williams. During her freshman campaign in 2023, Williams was named to the First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and also made the All-Newcomer Team. Her 11 home runs that season were the most by a freshman in Morehead State's history. Additionally, her slugging percentage of .706 led the OVC and set a program record. In 2024, Williams only appeared in four games.
Mikaela Coburn transferred to Southern Illinois from John A. Logan. During her one season there, Coburn was First Team All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference (GRAC), First Team All-Region, GRAC Freshman of the Year, and JUCO All-American Third Team. She earned these accolades thanks to a batting average of .467, and on-base percentage of .505, a slugging percentage of .650, 44 RBIs, 17 walks, and 68 runs.
Outfielder Maleah Blomenkamp is making the jump from one Southern Illinois institution to the other, coming to SIU from SIUE. As a Cougar, Blomenkamp made 19 starts in 46 appearances, posting a .288 batting average and .373 on-base percentage. She totaled 15 hits, 18 runs, seven walks, and stole a pair of bases.
The final transfer SIU pulled in was pitcher McKenzie Newcomb. A senior, Newcomb comes to Southern Illinois after a successful career at Samford. She was First Team All-Southern Conference (SoCon) in 2022 and 2023, and was Second Team in 2024. In her freshman year in 2022, Newcomb also led the SoCon in ERA (1.86) on her way to being named the SoCon Freshman of the Year. She was Pitcher of the Year in 2023.
The Series and the Matchups
SIU and Appalachian State have matched up twice before, with Appalachian State winning both games. The last time the two squads played was on March 10, 2023, in a neutral site game; Appalachian won that game 5-2. The only other matchup up was on February 15, 2013, when Appalachian State won, 10-9, in Fort Myers, Fla.
The Salukis have faced Auburn four times previously, with SIU winning three of those matchups.
Southern and North Carolina have split their only two matchups. The Tar Heels won their most recent matchup, 4-0, on May 20, 2017. The Salukis win came in 2007 when they won a neutral site game, 3-2.
Follow the Salukis
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_Softball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiSoftball and on Instagram at @SIU_Softball. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.
Details
-What: Tiger Invitational
-Date: Friday, Feb. 7 – Sunday, Feb. 9
-Location: Jane B. Moore Field | Auburn, Ala.
-Opponents: Appalachian State (twice), Auburn (twice), North Carolina
-Live Results: Appalachian State (Friday, 10 a.m.) | Auburn (Friday, 3 p.m.) | Auburn (Saturday, 12:30 p.m.) | North Carolina (Saturday, 5:30 p.m.) | Appalachian State (Sunday, 9 a.m.)
-Watch: Auburn (Friday, 3 p.m.)
-Listen: https://thevarsitynetwork.com
What Coach Has to Say
"I think we can talk about expectations all we want but it's time to go out and test ourselves against the best," head coach Jen Sewell said. "We are a program that year in and year out has the same standards. But we will know a lot more coming out these first three weeks. It's time to play someone else besides ourselves. I can tell players are excited to get on the road and get to work."
Last Season
The Salukis are coming off their second straight Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship and second straight trip to the NCAA Regionals.
Over the course of the 2024 season, SIU compiled a record of 44-11 while going 23-4 in MVC play. Its 44 wins were three shy of tying the program record for most wins in a season, which was set in 2005 when the team won 47 games.
Come tournament time, the Salukis used a pair of Elizabeth Warwick walkoffs to advance past Murray State and Illinois State and into the tournament championship against UNI. After UNI jumped out to a 2-0 lead, Southern rattled off three straight runs and held on the rest of the way to win, 3-2, claiming its second straight MVC title and booking a trip to NCAA Regionals in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Down in Louisiana, the Salukis won a pair of games versus Cal, 5-4 and 3-2. However, SIU could not get past No. 9 LSU, losing a pair of games to the Tigers, 4-1 and 9-0, ending its postseason run and 2024 season.
Following the completion of the season, several Salukis and the coaching staff were recognized for their achievements during the season. Sophomore Jackie Lis was named MVC Player of the Year, and freshman Maddia Groff was Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Meanwhile, Coach Sewell and her staff were named Coaching Staff of the Year. As for All-MVC players, Lis and Groff earned a spot on the First Team, as did Warwick. Three more Salukis found their way onto the All-MVC Second Team: Sidney Jones, Rylie Hamilton, and Emma Austin.
Notable Returners
Despite losing high-impact players like Warwick, Groff, Hamilton, and Jones, the Salukis return a solid group of veterans.
After gathering a hefty collection of hardware last season, Lis earned more recognition during this past preseason. D1Softball ranked Lis as the No. 2 shortstop in the nation and the No. 51 player overall. Meanwhile, Softball America had the junior as the No. 69 player in Division I; she was the only MVC representation on the list. She also made the MVC All-Preseason Team. Last year, Lis led the team in numerous offensive stats, including batting average, home runs, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits, RBIs, and walks.
Joining Lis on the All-Preseason Team is Austin. A two-time All-MVC Second Team member, Austin started in all 55 games for the Salukis last season and led the conference in stolen bases with 24 on 26 attempts, which was tied for fourth-most in a single season at SIU. Her 46 career stolen bases are currently tied for sixth most in SIU history. Austin brings a strong glove as well, making just one error on 103 chances last year in center field.
Other notable returners include Erin Lee, Anna Carder, and Addi Baker. Lee appeared in 46 games last season, starting 44 of them primarily at second base. She posted a batting average of .235, an on-base percentage of .350, and hit one home run with 14 RBIs. Carder looks to be the primary backstop for the Salukis. The 2023 All-MVC Second Team member was MVC Player of the Week last season for the week of March 19 after she hit a grand slam versus Drake. Carder came up big in the playoffs for SIU as well, going 3-3 in the MVC Tournament as well as 2-2 against Cal in a NCAA Regional elimination game on May 18. As for Baker, she is the only other returner who started 20 or more games last season. In her 33 appearances, Baker batted .227 with a .409 slugging percentage. She drove in 14 runs and hit two home runs.
"I think I'm most excited to watch these captains and upperclassmen take over and really have their team," Sewell said. "Each year is a new dynamic and whether it's the lineup card or just the overall personality – we want to see what type of team we have when they are tested."
Impactful Newcomers
Seven of SIU's 12 newcomers are freshmen: Avery Hixson, Sarah Cook, Hayden Kurtz, Emma Gipson, Kaytee Dahlstrom, Sage Grann, and Jordyn Stuessy. Dahlstrom, a pitcher, and Grann, an infielder and outfielder, were both named to Softball America's Freshman Watch List.
SIU also welcomes five transfers into the ranks.
Outfielder Charley Pursley comes to SIU from Austin Peay. While at Austin Peay, Pursley scored eight runs as a sophomore in 2024, including the game-winner in extra innings against Queens on April 21. During her freshman year in 2023, Pursley played in 20 games, starting 10 of them. She was also an NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete during her two seasons in Clarksville, Tenn.
From Morehead State, the Salukis picked up infielder and catcher Emily Williams. During her freshman campaign in 2023, Williams was named to the First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and also made the All-Newcomer Team. Her 11 home runs that season were the most by a freshman in Morehead State's history. Additionally, her slugging percentage of .706 led the OVC and set a program record. In 2024, Williams only appeared in four games.
Mikaela Coburn transferred to Southern Illinois from John A. Logan. During her one season there, Coburn was First Team All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference (GRAC), First Team All-Region, GRAC Freshman of the Year, and JUCO All-American Third Team. She earned these accolades thanks to a batting average of .467, and on-base percentage of .505, a slugging percentage of .650, 44 RBIs, 17 walks, and 68 runs.
Outfielder Maleah Blomenkamp is making the jump from one Southern Illinois institution to the other, coming to SIU from SIUE. As a Cougar, Blomenkamp made 19 starts in 46 appearances, posting a .288 batting average and .373 on-base percentage. She totaled 15 hits, 18 runs, seven walks, and stole a pair of bases.
The final transfer SIU pulled in was pitcher McKenzie Newcomb. A senior, Newcomb comes to Southern Illinois after a successful career at Samford. She was First Team All-Southern Conference (SoCon) in 2022 and 2023, and was Second Team in 2024. In her freshman year in 2022, Newcomb also led the SoCon in ERA (1.86) on her way to being named the SoCon Freshman of the Year. She was Pitcher of the Year in 2023.
The Series and the Matchups
SIU and Appalachian State have matched up twice before, with Appalachian State winning both games. The last time the two squads played was on March 10, 2023, in a neutral site game; Appalachian won that game 5-2. The only other matchup up was on February 15, 2013, when Appalachian State won, 10-9, in Fort Myers, Fla.
The Salukis have faced Auburn four times previously, with SIU winning three of those matchups.
Southern and North Carolina have split their only two matchups. The Tar Heels won their most recent matchup, 4-0, on May 20, 2017. The Salukis win came in 2007 when they won a neutral site game, 3-2.
Follow the Salukis
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_Softball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiSoftball and on Instagram at @SIU_Softball. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.
Players Mentioned
OF
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1B/OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
1B/3B
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF/C
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