Bowling Green. KY. – Southern Illinois won both of its games by run-rule in the fifth inning to begin the Hilltopper Spring Fling at Western Kentucky University. The Salukis opened the day with a 9-0 win over Dayton as Maddia Groff improved to 7-0 with her fifth complete game of the season. The Salukis followed that up with another win in just five innings as they took down in-state foe Northern Illinois 12-3 behind a complete game from Madi Eberle.

Elizabeth Warwick and Rylie Hamilton both tallied a pair of hits and a walk against Dayton as they each went 2-for-2 with a double. Warwick added a pair of stolen bases and scored three runs while Hamilton drove in three RBIs. 

Groff tossed a career-high nine strikeouts despite it only being a five-inning game. She has hit eight strikeouts this season with 47 now through 45 innings pitched. 

Freshman Amanda Knutson made just her second career start and took no time to make an impact as she hit not one but two home runs including her first career grand slam. Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the second, NIU made a pitching change with a runner on and Knutson stepping to the plate. Knutson put the Salukis ahead with a two-run shot in the second and followed it up with a grand slam in the very next inning to send the Salukis up 11-3.

Anna Carder added an insurance run in the fourth with her first home run of the season. Carder finished the day with three hits with three RBIs including a double and home run. 

On the day, the Salukis totaled 17 hits for 21 runs in just 40 at-bats with eight different Dawgs tallying at least one base hit. 

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