Murray, Ky. – Southern Illinois claimed its fifth regular season MVC Championship and first since 2010 on Saturday afternoon with a 3-0 win over Murray State in game one of the day. The Salukis have now won three MVC trophies over the last four seasons with a pair of tournament titles (2021, 2023) and now a regular season title in 2024 for their ninth overall.
SIU finished the day with a 6-2 victory in game two of the Saturday doubleheader to end the regular season with its sixth MVC sweep of the year. The Dawgs end the regular season 39-9 (23-4 MVC).
23 Missouri Valley Conference wins are the second-most in program history, only behind a 24-3 MVC season in 2005.
Maddia Groff earned her 28th win of the season in game one of the day as she shut out the Racers for the second straight day. Groff allowed just three hits and no walks, with four strikeouts. Her 28 wins tie the most in a single season at SIU with Erin Stremsterfer (2001) and Jamie Schuttek (1997).
Rylinn Groff drove in the first run of the day on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to make it a 1-0 game in the third. The Salukis would remain scoreless until Elizabeth Warwick sent out an absolute shot to right-center field for a two-run homer. It was her fourth long ball of the season to go along with her 19 doubles.
Madi Eberle made the start in game number two and shut the Racer’s offense down for the majority of the evening. Eberle threw a complete game, allowing just two runs on three hits and three walks. The senior gave up just one run in the fifth and one in the sixth but was able to leave runners stranded in both innings to get out of each inning with minimal damage.
SIU put across three runs in the fourth and seventh inning each to total its six runs. A pair of RBI singles from Emma Austin and Erin Lee sent across the first two runs before Warwick sent out a deep fly ball that brought in a run on a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0 after four.
With the bases loaded yet again, Emma Austin sent out a line drive to the left fielder that got lost in the sun and cleared the bases as the ball rolled down the left field line. Austin was able to make it all the way to the third but wouldn’t move any further from there.
With some added insurance, Eberle came back out in the seventh to close the door with a 1-2-3 inning.
The full MVC Tournament Championship bracket will be released tomorrow at the conclusion of the regular season. SIU will get a first-round bye and play the winner of the No. 12 and No. 5 seed on Thursday in the Quarterfinal round.
