Picked to win the MVC Championship this year, Softball starts their season with a weekend series vs. Appalachian St., No. Carolina and at Auburn tomorrow morning.
https://siusalukis.com/news/2025/2/6/preview-softball-opens-2025-season-at-tiger-invitational
Tough beginning to the season lost first 2 by a total of 11 runs hopefully they can get going later today
Without the 1-2 punch of Groff and Eberle on the mound this year, they've had a rough go so far, giving up 24 runs in their first three games.
The defense let one get away just now... after falling behind 4-0, SIU came roaring back to take a 7-4 lead, and then in the bottom of the 6th, two straight errors brought the tying run to the plate. Shortly after, three straight homers by Auburn, and it's 9-7.
They're gonna need to find an ace eventually, or we're gonna see quite a few games like the one that just ended.
Certainly some early season jitters and newness with this team. Warm weather schools have a distinct advantage over midwestern schools. Count yours truly as a true believer that this team will have figured it out by end of May! Great HC and staff, and loads of talent on this team.
Go Lady Dawgs!!!
0 - 0 in bottom of the 5th against UNC. SIU has left a lot of runners on base. UNC is hitless.
They're having another rough go in the Starkville tourney... two losses so far, and they're down 12-5 in the 4th inning to Georgia Tech at the moment, with five(!) errors leading to TEN unearned runs so far this game.
The pitching's already stumbling out of the gate without Groff and Eberle - they don't need to compound it with all of these errors (they're now averaging 2 errors a game for the season).
The coach leading this program has gaslighted Saluki Fans into believing that they will continue to be a regional level program this year. Clueless leadership knowing how much they lost(which did not have to be the case).
Last year was full of talent that Blaylock cultivated. Current coach is now exposed to be what all in the know actually know. Just ask around.
Wow. Wasting time recruiting the Groffs, who probably had no intention of staying here, is really coming back to bite us. It's obvious that at this point, our pitching is not good. Relying on freshman and sophomore pitching.
Lost 2 to N. Texas and now 1 - 8. And 5 starters hitting .200 or less is not helping. We also lost a number of really good veteran players to graduation. This is definitely a rebuilding year - not sure why we were picked to win the MVC.
Tough start to the season. I appreciate the fact that SIU has played some tough competition…..mixed in with some teams that we should have beat. Hopefully the schedule is preparing this team for The Valley season.
another tough tournament starting at 1:00 p.m. today against Kansas. we play Cretin twice. Hope we whip them.
A rough start indeed. With frustrating football and basketball seasons taking place, I was looking forward to another successful Saluki softball season. Just a young squad getting started, and figuring things out. There is certainly talent on this roster, just need a break or two to go our way. Really like the HC and staff. They will turn it around eventually.
Go Lady Dawgs!!!
13-0 loss against Texas State today. The wheels seem to be coming off this program hard
13-0 loss against Texas State today. The wheels seem to be coming off this program hard
Losing the Groff/Eberle combo this season's really showing how extremely valuable they were to the team's success last year. Without any true shutdown pitchers, you just can't rely on the offense to bail you out.
And where'd the offense go? A grand total of three runs combined over these last four losses, and three of those were very winnable games.
Welp, we already know that the at-large shot's busted, so nothing left to do now but gear up for conference play and hope we find a savior or two on the mound. I was really looking forward to this team, since both basketball squads are likely gonna be quick exits in their respective tourneys.
How's baseball so far?
Baseball won a series at Tennessee Tech and are 3-3. That feels great right now!
Softball is maybe even more dependent on pitching than baseball. Losing Groff and Eberle was a killer. Also lost a bunch of good all-MVC seniors like Warwick and Hamilton.
Only one experienced pitcher this year, and she's coming out of the bullpen. Also a very tough schedule to start the year.
Starting Friday, Central Ark., Purdue, and Purdue FW come to town. Going to be chilly Saturday and Sunday.
