Kurtz, Williams Homer as Softball Falls, 5-4, in Series Finale at Illinois State

Saturday, March 21

Normal, IL

2 PM

Southern Illinois University

17-11, 6-2

Illinois State

17-9, 7-2

Southern Ill.

Illinois St.

Kurtz, Williams Homer as Softball Falls, 5-4, in Series Finale at Illinois State

03/21/2026 | 5:27:00 | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Dominic Hoscher, SIUSalukis.com

NORMAL, Ill. - In a seesaw battle that saw both teams take seventh-inning leads, the Southern Illinois University softball team (17-11 overall, 6-2 MVC) fell in a heartbreaker, 5-4, to Illinois State in game three of the series.

The Salukis out-hit the Redbirds, 10-8, but committed two costly errors in the loss.

Illinois State took the game's first lead in the bottom of the first after a one-out, one-run single.

For the second consecutive inning, SIU had a chance to strike with one out and runners at second and third. A groundout and a strikeout, however, ended the threat for the Salukis. Southern left two runners on base in both the first and second frames.

Saturday's starter, Emily Delgado, got back on track with a 1-2-3 second inning and a scoreless third. Entering the fourth, Southern Illinois still trailed, 1-0.

That changed when third baseman Amanda Knutson tied the game with an RBI single, scoring center fielder Mikaela Coburn.

In the bottom of the fourth, Delgado didn't allow a baserunner and kept the score at 1-1. The junior was replaced by freshman Brooklynn Danielson in the following inning. Danielson, who was coming off a one-hit shutout in game two, produced a pair of fly outs and a strikeout for a clean fifth inning.

Both teams traded blows in the sixth, with SIU's coming with two outs. Designated player Hayden Kurtz hit a go-ahead, solo home run to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. The home run was the second in as many days for Kurtz and her fourth of the season.

Illinois State responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead.

Southern Illinois answered back in the top of the seventh. Right fielder Maleah Blomenkamp reached on a one-out single, setting the stage for the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, Emily Williams. Williams proceeded to launch a two-run home run to left field to put the Salukis back on top with a 4-3 advantage.

An error to start off the bottom half of the inning was followed by a single for Illinois State. With two runners on and nobody out, SIU committed its second error of the inning, leading to the Redbirds tying the game at 4-4. The next batter proceeded to end the game with a walk-off single.

Up Next
Southern Illinois will return home next weekend to host Belmont at Charlotte West Stadium. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Friday at 2 p.m. and conclude on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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