This Week in Saluki Athletics: April 13-19

04/13/2026 | 2:19:00 | General

By: Peter Borkowski

CARBONDALE, Ill. – As we enter the closing stages of the 2025-26 school year, Saluki athletic teams inch closer to the end of their seasons. Softball had a huge week, picking up three conference wins, while baseball struggled in their four games. Meanwhile, both golfs and the track and field squad saw action last week.

Softball (25-14, 14-5)
Softball started their week with a doubleheader sweep of Evansville on Tuesday.

Game one ended 9-0 in favor of SIU. Emily Williams hit the walk-off homer to run-rule the Purple Aces as she collected three RBIs. Jordan Stewart drove in three runs as well while Brooklynn Danielson pitched a six-inning shutout.

The Salukis run-ruled the Aces again in game two, 8-0. This time, it was Hayden Kurtz who had three RBIs while Maleah Blomenkamp had two. In the circle, Hailey Lucas allowed one hit across five innings of shut-out ball.

Southern then visited Drake for a weekend series, winning game one on Friday 11-0. Blomenkamp and Amanda Knutson both hit home runs on their way to three and two RBIs. Four additional Salukis drove in runs. Danielson and Emily Delgado combined for the shutout.

Game two of the series ended 3-1 in favor of SIU. Williams and Mikaela Coburn both hit balls out of the park as Blomenkamp drove in the other Southern run. Lucas pitched the bulk of the game, allowing one run across 6.1 innings.

Drake closed the series with a 10-7 win over the Salukis. SIU hit four home runs courtesy of Blomenkamp, Knutson, Kurtz, and Sage Grann.

A weekend series against Northern Iowa awaits the Salukis this week. On Friday, April 17, the two face off at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. They wrap the series on Saturday, April 18, at 1 p.m.

Baseball (13-21, 4-5)
Baseball picked up one win in four attempts this week.

First was a 6-5, midweek loss to SEMO on Tuesday. Kyle Mager did most of the damage for SIU, hitting a grand slam while Tim Simay had the other RBI for the Salukis.

Southern then took to Evansville for a weekend series and lost the opener on Friday 6-5 in 10 innings. Simay drove in a pair of runs while Cecil Lofton, Kaleb Hall, and Jackson Dibble were responsible for the other RBIs. Southern got an excellent start out of Andrew Evans, who struck out 14 across six innings of work.

SIU then lost game two on Saturday, 7-3. Hall hit a solo shot as Lofton and Henry Kufa drove the other two Saluki runs in.

The Salukis closed the series with a 16-3 win on Sunday. Simay, Kristian Sprawling, and Mason Schwalbach all hit homers for Southern. Seven Salukis had at least one RBI with Simay leading the way with five. SIU's bullpen was excellent, allowing just one run across seven innings.

This week features another four games for the Salukis. On Tuesday, April 14, they host Arkansas State at 6 p.m. They then hit the road for a weekend series at Bradley. The two play at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, and 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 19.

Track and Field
In their third outdoor meet of the season, track and field swept the men's and women's title at the Cougar Classic last weekend. Sixteen personal-best performances were delivered by Salukis, with 12 season-best marks also being hit.

The Salukis now look forward to the Gibson Invitational, which takes place this Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18.

Women's Golf
In their final meet before the conference tournament, women's golf placed a season-best third at the Jan Weaver Invitational this past weekend. Calli Smith was the highest placer for SIU, coming in seventh. Kayla Sayyalinh and Allie Santos both finished top-15, as two additional Salukis were found in the top-30.

Next up for women's golf is the MVC Championship, which takes place this Sunday, April 19, through April 21.

Men's Golf
Men's golf had a pair of competitions last week.

They first took sixth at the Racer Intercollegiate. Lucas Lasley led the way for Southern, finishing eighth overall with a -1 overall score. Anthony De Schutter also placed in the top-20.

SIU then made the trip to Ohio for the Robert Kepler Invitational later in the week, finishing 15th. De Schutter was the highest placer for Southern, with his +1-performance tying for 38th place.

The squad has one more meet left for the conference championship as they compete in the Hawkeye Invitational on April 20 and 21.

Follow the Salukis
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on X at @SIUSalukis, on Instagram at @siusalukis , and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SalukiAthletics/. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.