Weatherford, Okla. -The Missouri Southern softball squad (1-1) split their season opening doubleheader at Southwestern Oklahoma State (3-1) today. The Lions won game one 3-1 and dropped the night cap 11-2 to the Bulldogs.
Southern collected seven hits in game one, led by junior Brooke Hurley (Conway, Ark.) with two. Hurley and senior Lauren Hasty (Broken Arrow, Okla.) had the only two RBIs for the Lions in game one. In game two junior transfer Brianna Fulkerson (Fresno City CC) collected two of Southern's four hits and senior Megan Roark (Seneca, Mo.) collected the only two RBIs.
Junior transfer Nicole Reed, 1-0, (Fresno City CC) pitched all seven innings in getting the win in game one giving up only four hits and three walks, while allowing one run and striking out seven.
Senior Tiffany Bennett, 0-1, (Owasso, Okla.) took the loss in game two giving up seven hits and runs, striking out one, and not allowing a base on balls.
In game one, the Lions tied the game in the top of the fifth inning as Roark reached on an error by Bulldogs' second baseman, Chambless. Sophomore Dawn Grass (St. Louis, Mo.) then singled. Freshman Chole Brown (Springdale, Ark.) then pinch ran for Roark at second and scored on the following double by Hurley. The Lions would then take the lead in the top of the seventh, as Hurley started the inning off with a single. Freshman Brooklyn Farrell (Webb City, Mo.) would then pinch run for Hurley and advanced to second base on a single by junior transfer Lydia Niemegeers (NEO A&M). After a pop fly by freshman Shelby Romines (Ozark, Mo.) and a sacrifice hit by junior Breanna Volkmann (Kansas City, Mo.) Farrell would score on a wild pitch by SWOSU's Raines and Niemegeers would advance to third and then score on a double by Hasty.
The Lions would jump out to an early 2-0 lead in the night cap with Southwestern Oklahoma State as junior transfer Alysha Poteat(Cowley CC) walked and then stole her first base this season. Nicole Reed would then follow with another walk and both runners would advance a base on a wild pitch from Bulldog pitcher, Chambless. Roark would single in both Poteat and Nicole Reed. Southern would then give up three runs in the bottom of the second, five in the third, and another three in the errors in those innings, as only four of the 11 runs were earned.
Southern will be back in action this weekend as they travel to Wichita Falls, Texas to take part in the Midwestern State University Invitational. The Lions first game is Saturday February 19 as they tackle Eastern New Mexico at 9am followed by Texas Woman's University at 1pm.
