CARBONDALE, Ill. – No. 5 seed Indiana State saw their historic season come to an end on Saturday, falling 10-2 to No. 6 seed Southern Illinois in the MVC Tournament Championship.
 
Making a run to the title game for the first time since 2015, the Sycamores set a program record for most wins in a season (32) and most Valley wins in a season (17).
 
The Action
Lexi Benko got a strikeout looking to strand a runner on second and finish a scoreless inning in the top of the first. Isabella Henning and Annie Tokarek both singled in the Sycamores half of the first but SIU got a strikeout to end the opening frame.
 
The Salukis broke the game open in the top of the second, plating five runs in the inning. Two-straight singles followed by a walk loaded the bases before a 2-RBI single made it 2-0. After a Sycamore pitching change, SIU made it 3-0 with a RBI single up the middle followed by a 2-RBI single to put the Salukis up 5-0. Kaylee Barrett singled to right field to highlight the Sycamore offense in the bottom of the inning.
 
SIU added five more runs in the top of the third to go up 10-0. The Salukis led the inning off with a single and a double to force a Sycamore pitching change as ISU put Lauren Sackett in the circle. Following a groundout, Southern Illinois rattled off three-straight RBI hits to go up 8-0.  A sacrifice fly then made it 9-0. After a walk, SIU added another run on a single up the middle. ISU went down in order in the bottom half.
 
Lauren Sackett tossed a scoreless fourth but the Sycamores went 1-2-3 in the bottom half. Sackett struck out a pair in the top of the fifth. In the bottom half, Indiana State got on the board as Kaylee Barrett launched a 2-run home run to left field to make it a 10-2 contest. Abi Chipps and Isabella Henning singled but the Salukis got a pop up to end the inning and clinch the run-rule win in five innings.
 
Isabella Henning and Kaylee Barrett both finished with two hits while Annie Tokarek, TeAnn Bringle and Abi Chipps had one hit apiece.
 
Stats & Notes
Annie Tokarek finishes her ISU career with 26 home runs, second-most in program history. She also finished fourth all-time for RBIs with 106 in her career.
 
Lexi Benko ends her career with 38 wins, fifth-most in program history. Her four career saves also rank fifth all-time. Benko made 99 career appearances which is tied for sixth all-time. Her 272 strikeouts are seventh-most in ISU history.

Cassie Thomerson ends her Sycamore career as the all-time leader in hit by pitches with 27.
 
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