CARBONDALE, Ill. – The game was over and the Sycamores won. And then all of a sudden, it wasn't and they didn't. A controversial obstruction call on what would have been the final out of the game gave Southern Illinois an extra life and put two runners in scoring position. Two pitches later, Katelyn Massa doubled down the left field line as Indiana State fell, 3-2, to even the Missouri Valley Conference series at one game apiece in Carbondale Friday afternoon.
 
Southern Illinois (22-16, 5-7) never led in the game until the winning run crossed the plate and Indiana State (19-19, 6-7) watched in shock as the doubleheader sweep was so abruptly snatched from its grasp.
 
The loss still doesn't diminish the quality pitching by the Sycamores. Abbey Kruzel allowed only one run on four hits in the start, going three innings in the circle. Arielle Blankenship took the next three innings and held the Salukis scoreless, yielding only one hit. And Della Gher (3-4) was in line for the save before one of her three hits allowed tagged her for two runs.
 
Bella Peterson drove in the first run of the game in the first inning two pitches after Shaye Barton hit a double down the left field line as Indiana State scored a first inning run for the third straight game. Massa hit a sacrifice fly in the third to tie the game, 1-1, before Bailey Martin's RBI groundout plated Mallory Marsicek, who initially reached on a one-out single in the fifth.
 
Brianna Jones (18-5) claimed the win after allowing only one run in one inning pitched. Savanna Dover was in line for the loss for SIU before the seventh inning heroics after she allowed two runs on six hits in six innings pitched.
 
The rubber game in the series is scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT start on Saturday, April 14. That game will be broadcast live on The Valley on ESPN3.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Mallory Marsicek gets the honor after a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, scoring a run. She even reached base in her lone non-hit, getting to first on an error by the Saluki shortstop
 
STAT OF THE GAME
The game marked the seventh consecutive game that Indiana State has registered at least one extra-base hit.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Brianna Jones, Southern Illinois (18-5)
• Loss: Della Gher, Indiana State (3-4)

RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 19-19 (6-7 MVC)
• Southern Illinois: 22-16 (5-7 MVC)

NOTABLES

• Southern Illinois takes a 74-24 lead in the all-time series with the win.
• The Sycamores are now 9-6 in one-run games this year.
• Michael Perniciaro is now 7-10 all-time as a head coach against Southern Illinois.
• With two hits in the game, Bella Peterson extended her hitting streak to four straight games.

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