Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball Heads to Alabama for UAB Green & Gold Classic; Faces No. 1 Tennessee on Sunday
02/19/2026 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Southern Illinois Schedule
Friday: Game One - 9 a.m. vs. Mercer | Game Two - 11:30 a.m. vs. Missouri State
Saturday: Game One - 9 a.m. vs. Ole Miss | Game Two - 2 p.m. at UAB
Sunday:Â 11:30 a.m. vs. No. 1 Tennessee
*all times Central Standard Time
Tournament Details
Location:Â Mary Bowers Field - Birmingham, Ala.
Dates:Â Friday, Feb. 20 - Sunday, Feb. 22
Listen:Â The Varsity Network
Watch: SIU's lone televised game will be on Saturday at 2 p.m. at UAB. Watch on ESPN+.
Opponents:Â Mercer, Missouri State, Ole Miss, UAB, No. 1 Tennessee
Live Stats:
- Friday: Game One | Game Two
- Saturday: Game One | Game Two
- Sunday: Game One
Â
Weekly Recap
Through 10 games, SIU is 7-3, its best start to a season since 2024 (also started 7-3 and finished 44-11).
After going 5-0 at the FGCU Kickoff Classic, Southern went 2-3 at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. The Salukis earned wins against Eastern Kentucky (22-7, Feb. 11) and UTSA (10-9 in 10 innings, Feb. 12) in the tournament. Two of the three losses came to Long Beach State, while the third was to UTSA (3-1, Feb. 11).
The 22 runs against EKU were the most the Salukis have had in a game since April 16, 1993 (had 24 vs. Tulsa). Nine of the 22 runs came in the fifth inning, Southern's first nine-run inning since April 19, 2025, vs. UNI (won 12-6, scored nine in the eighth). Seven different players had multiple hits in the win, with both Charleston Pursley and Emily Williams tallying three hits each. Williams also had seven RBI, while Pursley and Sage Grann both scored four runs.
On Feb. 12, the Salukis played in a 10-inning thriller against UTSA, winning by a final score of 10-9. Southern Illinois trailed, 6-0, entering the bottom of the fifth inning prior to scoring two in the fifth and six in the sixth. The game was sent to extra innings after UTSA scored two in the top of the seventh. SIU won it in the 10th after Maleah Blomenkamp hit a walk-off single, scoring Pursley.
Emily Williams and Sydney Potter were both named to the PV College Challenge All-Tournament Team.
Head-to-Head Records
Southern Illinois holds a 5-0 record against Mercer all-time. The two programs last met in 2018, with SIU winning by a final score of 6-1 in Columbia, S.C. The series dates back to 1990, when Southern won both games at Mercer in a doubleheader.
The Salukis are 63-52 against former Valley school Missouri State. In the last 10 meetings, SIU is 7-3 against the Lady Bears.
SIU and Ole Miss have split their eight-game series, 4-4. The two schools last played in 2023, with Ole Miss winning, 13-0, in five innings. Southern last defeated the Rebels in 2004.
Against UAB, Southern Illinois is 4-2. In their last meeting in 2021, SIU defeated UAB, 6-1, in Alabama. The Salukis and Blazers first met in 2003, with Southern winning both games of a doubleheader.
Tennessee and Southern Illinois have only met once, with Southern winning the lone meeting, 7-6, in 10 innings in 1998. At the time, Tennessee was ranked No. 25 in the country.
Eye-Popping Numbers from Potter
Junior catcher Sydney Potter has been one of the nation's top hitters to begin the 2026 season. Potter has a .441 batting average, 1.790 OPS, eight home runs, 19 RBI, and 43 total bases. The junior has also recorded a .525 on-base percentage and 1.265 slugging percentage.Â
Across the NCAA, Potter is third in home runs, tied for third in RBI, second in total bases, and is 11th in slugging percentage. The catcher leads the Valley in each of the first three categories and is second in slugging.
Potter hit a home run in each of SIU's first six games, falling one game shy of trying the NCAA record for consecutive games with a home run.
Williams Heats Up in Mexico
Junior Emily Williams is coming off a strong showing at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge where she hit for a batting average of .438. Williams hit two home runs with 10 RBI, three walks, and zero strikeouts in five appearances. The junior also recorded a .526 on-base percentage and .813 slugging percentage.
Against Eastern Kentucky, Williams went deep twice and had seven RBI, which is tied for the second-most in a single game in program history.Â
Williams is eighth in the MVC in batting average (.469), ninth in OPS (1.264), tied for fourth in RBI (12), and is tied for seventh in home runs (two).
Lucas Excelling in the Circle
In her first six collegiate appearances, freshman pitcher Hailey Lucas has been dominant for the Salukis. Lucas has a 1.70 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts compared to three walks in 24.2 innings pitched.Â
Lucas started off her career with a complete-game shutout at FGCU on Feb. 6. The freshman gave up two hits, no walks, and had five strikeouts across seven scoreless innings.Â
The Palatine, Ill., native is fifth in the Valley in ERA, seventh in opposing batting average (.209), seventh in innings pitched, and sixth in strikeouts.
Notable Individual Numbers
Southern Illinois has three players hitting north of .400: Williams (.469), Potter (.441), and Charleston Pursley (.423). Sage Grann (.348) and Maleah Blomenkamp (.313) are both above .300.
Pursley and Potter are tied for the team-lead in runs scored with 12 each. The 12 runs are tied for the second-most in the MVC.
Blomenkamp's four doubles are the most on the team. The outfielder is tied for fourth in the MVC in the category and is also tied for 62nd in the NCAA. Blomenkamp had one double in 21 games played in 2025 prior to suffering a season-ending injury.
Erin Lee is leading the team in walks with six on the year. This tied for ninth in the MVC.Â
Hailey Lucas is the qualified leader in ERA as well as WHIP, strikeouts, and opponent batting average. Emily Delgado has been sharp in her first five appearances as a Saluki, tallying a 2.72 ERA in 18.0 innings pitched.Â
Kiana McDowell has pitched in two games for SIU and has recorded a 1.17 ERA.Â
Looking at the MVC
Southern Ilinois is currently in first place in the MVC with a 7-3 record and .700 winning percentage. The seven wins are the most in the conference, followed by Illinois State's six. Valparaiso is second in terms of winning percentage at .571.
Looking ahead to the weekend, notable games across the Valley include Belmont at a top 20 Mississippi State on Friday and Saturday, both Bradley and Indiana State against Kentucky, and SIU against No. 1 Tennessee.
History Against No. 1 Teams
On Sunday, Southern Illinois will face its first No. 1 ranked opponent since Feb. 17, 2013, when it lost, 10-1, to No. 1 Alabama.Â
The Salukis are 0-5 since 1995 against top-ranked teams. This history includes a 1-0 loss to No. 1 California in 2005 and a 1-0 loss to No. 1 Fresno State in 1999.
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.
