Joplin, Mo. -- Angie Turner hit a two-out grand
slam in the sixth inning of game two to lift the Lions to a
comeback win and split the double-header with Northeastern State
today. Southern dropped game one 10-2, but won the nightcap
13-10.
Southern (15-29-1) came from behind twice in game two. After NSU
(14-28) went up 2-0 in the first inning, the Lions scored four
unanswered to take a 4-2 lead after two. Kelli Bax drove in two in
the second inning with a single up the middle and stole second,
then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Natalie Nelson walked to
put runners at the corners and Angie Turner drove in Bax with an
infield single.
NSU then scored two more runs in the third before the Lions
added a run in their half of the inning on another RBI single from
Bax.
The Riverhawks exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth as
the knocked out four hits in the inning. The Lions answered,
however, and tied the game at nine with four runs of their own in
the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by a two-RBI single from
Natalie Nelson and a two-RBI triple from Megan Roark.
The big knock of the game, however, came with two outs in the
bottom of the sixth. With the bases loaded, Turner worked the count
full and promptly deposited the ball over the wall in left-center
for her sixth home run of the year and put the Lions up 13-9.
NSU scored a run in the seventh, but Kelli Bax finished off the
game and picked up the win, throwing two and two thirds of an
inning of relief. She scattered four hits and allowed just one
run.
Turner drove in six in game two and came one short of tying a
Missouri Southern record for RBIs in a game (Whitney Clute had 7
against Northwest Missouri in 2009). Bax went 3-4 and tied a school
record of her own with four runs scored and three RBIs. Nelson and
Roark drove in a pair of runs each, while Krista Bomak scored three
times.
Southern left 10 on base in game one as Northeastern State
banged out 15 hits and scored eight runs over the final four
innings to win game one, 10-2.
Bax had a pair of hits in game one, while seven other Lions had
a hit each. Clute started for the Lions and went three and two
thirds of an inning, allowing just two earned runs.
The Lions will be back in action this weekend when they travel
to Maryville, Mo. to compete in the second MIAA crossover hosted by
Northwest Missouri.
