Normal, Ill. – Southern Illinois advanced to the MVC Championship game on a walk-off grand slam from senior Elizabeth Warwick in the bottom of the seventh inning after the Salukis trailed the entire game.

Warwick has now had walk-off hits in back-to-back games to advance the Salukis in the MVC Tournament as the Dawgs now make their second-straight appearance in the final round.

Aside from back-to-back walk-offs in consecutive days, Wawick has now had back-to-back walk-off home runs in the MVC Semifinal round. Over the last six MVC Tournament games for SIU, the Salukis have ended four of the six wins in walk-off fashion, with three coming off the bat of Warwick.

Maddia Groff made the start for Southern and went the first 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with two strikeouts and zero walks. The Redbirds sent out a solo home run in the second inning and held onto the lead for the first six and a half innings.

Illinois State plated another run on a pair of hits in the sixth and in came Madi Eberle with one away and a runner on. Eberle worked her way out of the jam and sent the Salukis back to offense trailing 2-0.

Eberle shut down the Redbirds for the remainder of the game as she gave up just one hit and one walk during the final 2.1 innings. Eberle earned the win as she improved to 10-6 on the season.

The seventh inning began with a walk drawn by Erin Lee followed by a single from Anna Carder as the Salukis quickly put two on. Jackie Lis got hit on the first pitch of her at-bat to send Warwick to the plate with the bases loaded and still no outs.

The lefty Warwick sent out a 2-1 pitch to the opposite side of the field and over the wall down the line in right field as she was stormed by the rest of the Salukis at home plate.

SIU will now play the winner of the No. 2 Northern Iowa and No. 6 Missouri State