Champaign, Ill. – Southern Illinois defeated Illinois by a final score of 6-1 on Wednesday evening in Champaign as the Salukis wrap up non-conference play with their third win over a Big Ten opponent this season.
The Dawgs led for almost the entirety of the game after taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Jackie Lis put the Salukis on the board with a two-run home run and the Dawgs never looked back.
Lis has now homered in three consecutive as she now totals 10 on the year to lead the Salukis.
Southern would go on to score in the following two innings, as it plated all six runs between innings three, four, and five. Emma Austin drove in a run in the third. as she beat out an infield single with two outs to score Jenna Christeson.
Austin had a pair of hits as well as a stolen base as she continues to lead the Valley, now with 17 on 17 attempts.
Maddia Groff made her third start against a Big Ten opponent and earned her third win over a Big Ten opponent. The freshman improves to 19-2, going all seven innings for her 13th complete game of the season. Only allowing one run on the day, Groff struck out eight with a pair of walks and six hits.
The Illini totaled three of their six hits in the third inning as they got on the board for the first and only time.
SIU had its biggest inning of the game in the fifth with five hits and three runs. The inning began with four-straight hits including doubles from Elizabeth Warwick and Addi Baker. Both Warwick and Baker doubled twice on the day as Warwick continues to lead the Valley with 15 on the season.
Addi Baker had her first three hit game of the season, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs as she’s now made three consecutive starts.
The fifth inning ended with Illinois catching Bailey Caylor attempting to steal second but not before Caylor was able to drive in the sixth run of the game for the Dawgs on an RBI-single.
With 12 hits on the day, four Salukis totaled two hits – Jackie Lis, Elizabeth Warwick, Bailey Caylor, and Emma Austin.
The Salukis return home to Charlotte West Stadium this weekend as they’ll host Evansville for a three-game series beginning on Friday at 5 PM. All three games this weekend will be available on ESPN+.
