Offense Rolls as Softball Defeats Charlotte, 7-6, to Start 3-0

Saturday, February 7

Fort Myers, FL

9 AM

Southern Illinois University

3-0

Charlotte

2-2

Southern Illinois

Charlotte

Offense Rolls as Softball Defeats Charlotte, 7-6, to Start 3-0

02/07/2026 | 2:15:00 | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Dominic Hoscher, SIUSalukis.com

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Powered behind a five-run fifth inning, the Southern Illinois University softball team (3-0) won, 7-6, against Charlotte for the second-straight day at the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Kickoff Classic.

"I really like the response today of our offense and throughout the game," head coach Jen Sewell said. "Impressed with our ability to get the momentum back in our favor. Anytime you face a team on back-to-back days, you're going to have to battle and adjust, and we did that today."

The Salukis scored seven runs on 12 hits on Saturday, including five in the fifth inning. Both Erin Lee and Sydney Potter went deep in the win, with Potter recording a team-high three hits and three RBI. Lee posted two RBI while Emily Williams and Hayden Kurtz had one each.

Maleah Blomenkamp and Jordan Stewart both registered two hits apiece against the 49ers.

In the circle, freshman Brooklynn Danielson and junior Emily Delgado split duties on Saturday, with Danielson earning her second win in as many days and Delgado picking up her first save as a Saluki.

"Again, another great opening performance by Delgado," Sewell said. "It was fun to see her go. And we liked Danielson today - she won't like it - but she was still very good."

Danielson improved to 2-0 after coming in relief of Delgado, allowing five runs on six hits with three strikeouts across 3.1 innings pitched. Delgado allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.

The game was scoreless through the first two innings as Delgado produced a 5-4-3 double play to work around a lead-off single in the bottom of the first. The junior then tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the second to keep the score at 0-0.

SIU struck first in the top of the third inning. After a Charleston Pursley walk, Potter homered to center to put the Salukis ahead, 2-0. The junior catcher has homered in all three games to begin the season.

Delgado kept things rolling in the bottom half of the third, again not allowing a Charlotte baserunner.

The 49ers got going offensively in the following inning, scoring four runs on four hits to take a 4-2 lead.

Southern Illinois wasted no time in finding an answer, exploding for a five-run fifth inning. Pursley got things started with a lead-off single and came around to score on an RBI double by Potter. Two at bats later, Williams tied the game at 4-4 with a double of her own.

After the 49ers switched pitchers, Lee drilled a go-ahead, two-run home run to left center to give the Salukis a 6-4 advantage. This was the senior's second go-ahead homer against Charlotte in the tournament.

SIU's seventh run came off of a Kurtz single, which scored Stewart from second and gave Southern a 7-4 lead.

Charlotte added two runs in the bottom of the inning, leading to a 7-6 score entering the sixth.

Delgado re-entered the game to replace Danielson with one out in the seventh. After a two-out error, the junior from California closed-out the game by producing a grounder to Haley Wilkerson at third to secure the win.

Up Next
Southern Illinois is now 3-0 after tallying two wins against Charlotte and one against the hosts, FGCU. The Salukis will be back in action on Sunday to face Ball State at 9 a.m. and Long Island at 2 p.m. (both times CST).