CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois defeated the Drake University softball team, 11-3, on Sunday as the two teams closed out the weekend series at Charlotte West Stadium.

Drake (6-19, 0-3 Missouri Valley Conference) staked an early 1-0 lead as junior Hayley Nybo (Minnetonka, Minn.) drove in freshman Megan Sowa (Gurnee, Ill.) in the first inning.

The lead didn't last long as Southern Illinois (13-12, 3-2 MVC) tied the game in the second frame with an RBI triple. The Salukis grabbed control of the game with four runs the next inning then posted runs in every following inning as they closed out the series sweep.

The Bulldogs scored two runs in the fifth inning as senior Liz Buck (Olathe, Kan.) recorded an RBI single, while Nybo added an RBI double.

Nybo finished 2-for-3 with two RBI at the plate, while Sowa added two hits and a run scored. Junior Rebekah Schmidt (Cottage Grove, Minn.) was 2-for-2.

Schmidt started in the circle and took the loss to drop 5-9 on the year. She pitched 3.2 innings and allowed six runs (five earned) and walked five.

A midweek contest with former MVC-rival Creighton is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 26 at 4 p.m.