Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern softball
team split a pair of games today in MIAA action, using a
bases-loaded walk in extra innings to take game one 8-7, and then
falling 6-2 in the nightcap against the Jennies.
Southern (16-36-1, 5-9 MIAA) scored twice in the first two
innings to go up 4-1 after two in game one. A walk to Breanna Volkmann and back-to-back doubles from Angie Turner and Dawn Grass
scored the Lions' two runs in the first and a two-RBI single from
Grass in the second made the score 4-1.
Central (20-19, 6-4 MIAA) answered back with two runs in the
third and two more in the fourth to go up 5-4.
The Lions tied it up in the fourth with an RBI single from
Brooke Hurley, but Central again went ahead, this time with two
runs in the top of the seventh.
But the Lions answered right back and tied the game with two in
the seventh. The Lions loaded the bases and with one out, Kim Diaz
walked to force in a run and a single from Kelli Bax scored the
tying run.
Central went quietly in the eighth and with one out, the Lions
loaded the bases again in the eighth. A strikeout gave the Lions a
bases-loaded, two out situation, but Diaz again worked a walk to
force in the winning run.
Grass was 2-4 with three RBIs in the game, while Turner went 2-5
and Jessica Brooks had three hits, as well. Bax, Volkmann and
Hurley had a hit each for Southern. Tiffany Bennett started and
went three innings. Whitney Clute relieved and went the final five,
allowing just one hit and no earned runs, while facing just four
batters over the minimum.
The Lions went up first in game two with a run in the first when
Megan Roark singled home Volkmann.
The Jennies, however, put up four runs in the second and a
single run in each of the third and fourth innings to go up 6-1
after four.
The Lions added a run in the fifth when Natalie Nelson scored
after a pickoff attempt from the catcher went into left
field.
Roark had two hits and an RBI in game two, while four other
Lions had a hit each. Clute started and went two innings, while Bax
and Bennett pitched the final five innings.
The Lions will be back in action this weekend when Southern
plays host to Fort Hays in a double-header at 1 pm.
