HONOLULU, Hawai`i – Shyenne Hussey hit a two-run home run in her return home as Eastern Kentucky beat Southern Illinois, 8-6, Thursday in the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament hosted by the University of Hawai`i. Hussey, a sophomore from Waimanalo and freshman DeAnn Horswill of Kailua are making their first appearance in their home state of Hawai`i as collegiate players.

The Colonels (9-5) fell to 15th ranked Hawai`i (14-4) in the second game 5-0. Hussey went 3-for-3 against her home-state school.

Against Southern Illinois, EKU’s Adriel Foxley broke a 1-1 tie with a solo home run in the top of the third. The dinger was her second of the season. Hussey’s fourth home run of the season came in the top of the fifth and extended the Colonel lead to 4-1. The Salukis answered in the bottom of the inning. With two runners on, Katie Wilson sent a pitch over the left field fence to tie the game.

Eastern platted four runs in the top half of the seventh. Katie Rolf and Erin Luther each had RBI singles. Two runners scored on a single by Pam Webber to make it an 8-4 game.

Foxley finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Webber went 3-for-4 with two driven in. Amber Lenz and Jena Handley each recorded two hits.

Stacye Toups improved to 3-2 after earning the victory. The freshman allowed three earned runs, 10 hits and struck out six in six innings of work. Jodi Pence came on with runners at the corners and no outs in the seventh. Pence induced three ground ball outs but not before Southern Illinois scored a pair of runs on an Eastern error.

Hawai`i got on the board in the second inning with a solo home run from Kate Robinson. Another run in the third extended the lead to 2-0. The Rainbow Wahine added three more in the fifth, including a two-run single by Katie Grimes.

The Colonels will face No. 22 Washington at 3 p.m. on Friday.