Hayden Kurtz is emerging as a clutch middle-of-the-order bat for SIU
In the 2026 season, Southern Illinois sophomore Hayden Kurtz has turned into one of the Salukis’ top run producers, starting 29 straight games after entering the lineup on March 1 and earning All-MVC Second Team honors. She hit .351 in conference play with a .420 on-base percentage, .649 slugging percentage, 5 homers, 21 RBI, and 8 doubles, and SIU highlighted her as a player who keeps delivering in big moments. At 6-foot and playing 1B/3B, Kurtz brings pop, gap power, and late-game poise—exactly the kind of bat that can change a lineup’s ceiling.
