CARBONDALE, Ill. - In an incredible series that saw three extra-inning games, Wichita State (36-27, 18-9) could not hold off Southern Illinois (38-13, 17-7), as the Salukis got a single from Alicia Garza to prevent the sweep by the Shockers, 2-1 in 10 innings, on the final day of the regular season at Charlotte West Stadium Sunday afternoon. It was the first time that WSU has played in three-straight extra-inning games since 2002.

With the loss, the Shockers earn the fourth-seed for next week's State Farm MVC Tournament in Normal, Ill. WSU will take on the winner of the opening round game which features No. 5 Evansville against the No. 8 seed, which will be determined later on Sunday following the Indiana State-Drake game, delayed earlier on Sunday due to rain. The winner of the game advances to play Evansville Thursday morning, with the Shockers taking on the winner of that game at 4 p.m., Thursday in the quarterfinals.

The Shockers got on the board first for the third time in the series, with a two-out rally in the top of the third. Katie McGeeney got aboard with a two-out walk and got to second on Brooke Usher's second hit of the day, a well hit shot through the left side that gave WSU two runners in an inning for the first time on the day. Britnee Barnett then came on and slapped a single back up the middle that scored McGeeney, giving the Shocks a 1-0 lead.

Southern Illinois answered with a two-out threat of its own in the bottom of the frame, as Krystal Stein roped a two-out single to right field for the Salukis' first hit of the game. Stein got to second after Shocker starter Margo Pruis (22-12) issued a walk to leadoff hitter Tiffanie Dismore, giving SIU runners on first and second. Pruis worked a full count to Lauren Haas before the Saluki first baseman grounded into a fielder's choice to end the threat and the third.

Pruis stranded two more Saluki runners in the fourth, but SIU got its first run of the game in the fifth when Katie Schmidt, pinch-hitting for the Saluki starter Cassidy Scoggins, ripped a Pruis pitch over the right field fence to tie the game, 1-1.

A leadoff single by Barnett in the sixth chased Scoggins after the senior worked five innings, giving up just one run while walking one and striking out two. Ashley Hamby came in to close the game out and did her job after walking Cynthia Verhulst to give the Shockers two runners on with nobody out. Stephanie De La Riva was called out on strikes to record the first out and Hamby then got a pair of fly outs to end the threat, stranding WSU's fifth and sixth runners on the afternoon.

After Pruis issued a leadoff walk to Becky Wegmann in the seventh, Ashly Bright came on to finish the game out in relief, after Pruis worked six innings. Pruis gave up one run on three hits while walking three and striking out six. Bright did well, coming on to retire the Salukis in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings for the third time in the series.

A one-out single by Wegmann in the ninth started ta rally for SIU, as she advanced to second on the sacrifice by third baseman Katie Wagner. But Bright responded yet again, as both her and Pruis had done so many times in the series, striking out Hamby to end the ninth.

Stein drew a leadoff walk in the 10th to start the final rally of the day, as Saluki leadoff hitter Tiffanie Dismore reached on a fielder's choice after second baseman Brooke Usher narrowly missed the tag on Stein going to second. A Shocker error allowed Haas to reach and the Salukis prevented the sweep with a RBI single by Alicia Garza through the right side.