Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball Returns Home to Host Valparaiso for Three-Game Series Starting on Friday
03/05/2026 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Details
- Date: Friday, March 6 to Saturday, March 7
- Location:Â Charlotte West Stadium | Carbondale, Ill.
- Opponent:Â Valparaiso
- Live Stats:Â Friday (2 p.m.)Â | Friday (4:30 p.m.)Â | Saturday (1 p.m.)
- Watch:Â Friday (2 p.m.)Â | Friday (4:30 p.m.)Â | Saturday (1 p.m.)
Weekly Recap
Southern Illinois went 3-2 at the Lipscomb Purple and Gold Challenge, improving its record to 11-9 on the year.
The Salukis earned a pair of wins over Western Carolina before defeating Lipscomb, 5-3, on the final day of the tournament. Both of SIU's losses were against Purdue.
In its last game of the weekend, Southern Illinois trailed, 3-2, with one out and the bases-loaded in the seventh inning. Hayden Kurtz proceeded to deliver a two-run, go-ahead double and later came around to score to give the Salukis a 5-3 lead.
Kurtz hit her first-career home run one night prior in SIU's 5-1 win over Western Carolina. The sophomore entered the game as a pinch hitter in the fifth before launching a two-run shot to left field, giving the Salukis a 4-1 lead.
Outfielder Mikaela Coburn led the team with six hits and a .375 batting average to go along with a .444 on-base percentage. Along with Kurtz, junior Sydney Potter also went deep in the tournament, homering in SIU's first game against Western Carolina. Potter is up to 11 home runs, which is tied for fourth in the NCAA.
Junior Emily Delgado's 3.18 ERA, 11.0 innings pitched, and two wins led the team. Freshman Brooklynn Danielson's 1.20 WHIP was the lowest on the team, while her 13 strikeouts paced the Salukis.
As a team, Southern Illinois scored 18 runs in five games with a .256 batting average and .382 on-base percentage.
Head-to-Head Record
The Salukis have been dominant in the series, holding a 17-1 record all-time against Valparaiso. SIU has won 16-straight games vs. the Beacons. Southern's lone loss to Valpo came on March 30, 2018, in a game that finished with a final score of 7-6.
In 2025, Southern Illinois swept Valparaiso in three games in Indiana. The Salukis out-scored Valpo, 34-10, and scored in double-digits twice (jncluding 18 runs in Game 2). Emily Williams tied a single-game program record with eight RBI vs. the Beacons on March 22, 2025, during last year's series.
The first-ever meeting between the two programs was in 2005 at the Coach B. Classic in Carbondale, Ill. Southern won, 6-0. SIU and Valpo did not meet again for 13 years, with the next matchup taking place in 2018.
Looking at the Beacons
Valparaiso enters conference action with a 9-8 record overall. Valpo is also yet to play at home, holding a 1-3 away record and 8-5 neutral record.
The Beacons went 3-1 at the Lindenwood Invite in St. Charles, Mo., in their final non-conference tournament. Valparaiso started the weekend 3-0 with wins over Green Bay, Lindenwood, and Western Illinois prior to falling, 4-2, in a rematch against Lindenwood.
With a team batting average of .326, Valparaiso leads the league in hitting. Its 149 hits are also a league-best, followed by SIU's 141.
Valparaiso's 4.82 team ERA ranks seventh in the MVC.
Potter: Ranked as Nation's Fifth-Best Catcher
In Softball America's March Position Rankings, junior Sydney Potter was ranked as the fifth-best catcher in college softball. Potter's 11 home runs are tied for fourth in the NCAA, while her 28 RBI are tied for 23rd. The junior has also recorded a .924 slugging percentage, ranking 56th in the country.
Potter is now tied for 11th all-time in single-season home runs at SIU. The catcher is one shy from moving into a tie for seventh and is six away from tying Jackie Lis (2023) and Emily Williams (2025) for the program record.
At the Lipscomb Purple and Gold Challenge, Potter recorded a .533 slugging percentage to go along with one home run, four RBI and three walks. The Runnells, Iowa, native also made an impact defensively with three caught stealings.Â
Big Week by Kurtz
After making five appearances in the opening three weeks of the season, sophomore Hayden Kurtz had a memorable trip to Nashville, going 3-for-6 with a home run, five RBI, two runs scored, and a 1.167 slugging percentage in two games played.
Kurtz came off the bench as a pinch hitter in her first appearance of the weekend on Saturday night vs. Western Carolina. The sophomore proceeded to belt a two-run home run, the first of her collegiate career.
The strong showing earned her a start on Sunday vs. Lipscomb, where the Peculiar, Mo., native delivered a 2-for-4 line with one double and three RBI. With one out in the seventh and the Salukis down by one, Kurtz hit a go-ahead, two-run double that led SIU to a 5-3 win over the hosts.
Delgado Nearing Milestone
Emily Delgado is 11 strikeouts away from reaching 200 on her career. Delgado has 29 so far in 2026 and during her two seasons at Southern Utah, the Corona, Calif., native racked up 160.
Delgado is 3-2 in 11 appearances so far in her first season as a Saluki. The junior has a 3.07 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 41.0 innings pitched and also has one save. In three of her last four outings, Delgado has not allowed a run.
Salukis by the Numbers
Overall, Southern Illinois is second in the MVC in home runs (18), hits (141), and walks (81). SIU's 95 runs are the third-most in the league entering conference play.
The pitching staff has combined for a 4.01 ERA, ranking fifth in the Valley. No staff has tossed more innings than SIU's 134.1.
Junior Emily Williams, the 2025 MVC Newcomer of the Year, is batting a team-best .344 on the year with a .895 OPS. Williams has hit two home runs, has 13 RBI, three doubles, six walks, and a .492 slugging percentage.
Potter leads the team in home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, and total bases (61, which are tied for 17th in the nation). Senior captain Erin Lee's 16 walks are a team-high, followed by sophomore Sage Grann's 12.
Freshman pitcher Hailey Lucas has been one of the league's top arms in the circle to start 2026, twirling a 2.42 ERA, which ranks fourth in the MVC. Lucas is also second in opposing batting average (.218) and has a team-leading 0.97 WHIP.
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.
