WOODSTOCK, Ga. – The SIUE softball team was tied in the final inning of both of its games Saturday, but the Cougars came up short in matchups with Kennesaw State and UAB at the KSU Classic.

SIUE fell 1-0 in eight innings to host Kennesaw State, before losing 7-6 to UAB at the Twin Creek Softball Complex.

"We battled all day long," Head Coach Sandy Montgomery said.  "Despite the losses, I'm very pleased with the way we played today.  We're light years ahead of where we were at this stage last season."

In the first game against the Owls, the Cougars (2-3) got a strong pitching performance from Haley Chambers but were unable to get a run across the plate.

"Haley threw very well," Montgomery said.  "Offensively, we had some opportunities to score but we just couldn't capitalize."

Against the Blazers, SIUE erased a 6-0 deficit due in large part to a five-run sixth inning.  Chelsea Yankolovich and CC Hutchinson each hit home runs in the sixth to start the Cougars' rally.

Rachel Coonrod then delivered an RBI single in the top of the seventh inning to tie the score at 6-6.  But UAB's Chandler Orr provided the decisive hit in the bottom of the seventh, knocking an RBI single up the middle to give UAB the victory.

"We weren't real sharp to start, but we made some adjustments as the game went on," Montgomery added.  "I was happy with the way we battled to get ourselves back in the game."

SIUE will conclude play at the KSU Classic with two more games in Woodstock on Sunday.  The Cougars will face Liberty at 9:30 a.m. CST before battling Mercer at noon.