Box Score MOBILE, Ala. – SIUE's Amber Storer and Ava Bieneman earned All-Tournament honors at the South Alabama Softball Tournament after the conclusion of Sunday's play.
SIUE closed out the tournament with an extra-inning contest for the third straight day. The Cougars lost to Northwestern State 6-5 in eight innings.
The Ohio Valley Conference season begins next Saturday with a three-game series at Eastern Kentucky. The schedule includes a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday followed by a 1 p.m. single game Sunday.
"I'm looking forward to putting it all together," said SIUE Head Coach Jessica Jones.
Storer and Bieneman each had eight hits for the weekend.
Storer hit a game-tying home run in Saturday's extra-inning contest against South Alabama.
"Amber had a great weekend," said Jones. "She really stepped up at the plate.
"Ava has a great eye at the plate. She also has great speed, and you can't teach speed."
Becca Duran's three-run home run in the top of the eighth was SIUE's offensive highlight Sunday. Northwestern State countered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning.
With four extra-inning games in three days, Jones said the team walks away with a lot of positives and learned myriad things.
"We gained more experience in five games than we would have otherwise in three weekends," added Jones.
NOTES: Zoe Schafer hit her 26th career home run Sunday. She is now third on SIUE's all-time home run list.
