Pittsburg, Kan. --  The Missouri Southern softball team hit four home runs, including two from Dawn Grass and swept a double-header from Bemidji State at the PSU Softball Complex today in the only two games of the PSU Invitational this weekend. The Lions won game one 11-1 and game two 9-4. 

The Lions (6-14-1) allowed an unearned run in the first as BSU (1-10) got on top after the top of the first. Southern, however, would answer right back with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Kelli Bax reached on an error to start the inning and stole second. Jessica Brooks walked to put two on and Dawn Grass worked a 2-2 count before she sent a pitch over the wall in right center for her fourth homer of the season. Angie Turner then worked the count full and deposited the ball over the center field wall for the Lions' fourth run of the inning.

Both teams went scoreless in the second and third innings, before the Beavers put up a zero in the top of the fourth.

The Lions then exploded for seven runs in the bottom half of the inning. Roark started things off with an RBI single through the right side, scoring two, while a bases-loaded walk to Brooke Hurley scored Turner. Breanna Volkmann then doubled off the right center field wall, scoring Krista Bomak and Roark. Natalie Nelson then took the first pitch she saw and doubled off the center field wall to score both Volkmann and Hurley.

In the midst of all the scoring, Southern starter Tiffany Bennett was on cruise control. The Junior threw all five, allowing one unearned run on five hits, while striking out four and walking none.

Grass had a hit, a run and three RBIs, while Roark, Volkmann and Nelson all drove in two each.

The Lions added a single run in the second when Bax singled to start the inning, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. She then scored on an RBI single from Brooks. 

After the Beavers scored two in the third, the Lions answered back with three in the fourth as Bax tripled down the right field line and later scored on a wild pitch to start things off. Brooks then singled to right before Grass hit her second home run of the day with a shot to right field. 

Bemidji added two more runs in the fifth before the Lions answered with a home run in the seventh. 

Kayce Moore started for the Lions and went four innings, allowing five earned runs, while striking out two and walking none. Bennett threw three shutout innings of relief to earn the save. She struck out five and walked none, while scattering five hits. 

Grass went 2-4 with a pair of runs and three RBIs in the game. Bax, Brooks, Roark, Bomak and Hurley all had two hits each. 

The Lions will play a double-header on Tuesday, March 16 at home against Missouri S&T, before heading to Warrensburg for the first of two MIAA crossovers this season next weekend.