Wichita Falls, Texas -The Missouri Southern Lions softball squad (3-3) split decisions in the final day of the Midwestern State University Invitational. The Lions downed the Drury Panthers in the first game of the day, 10-8, then fell to the No. 12-ranked Midwestern State Mustangs 13-0 in their final game.
Game One
Missouri Southern erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead away from the Drury Panthers and held on for the 10-8 win.
Sophomore Kayce Moore started the game for the Lions and went 2 2/3 innings giving up five runs, while striking out and walking two each. Senior Tiffany Bennett (2-2) came into the game in relief and pitched three scoreless innings until she gave up three in the top of the seventh, but recorded the win. Junior Nicole Reed came in the seventh and got the final three outs to secure the win. This was Reed's second save on the year.
Juniors Brianna Fulkerson and Breanna Volkmann both scored unearned runs in the bottom of third to start the Southern scoring
In Southern's big inning sophomore Jessica Brooks started with a walk, then freshman Chole Brown hit a two-run homerun over the centerfield fence. Senior Megan Roarkhad a sacrifice fly that scored Fulkerson and sophomore Dawn Grass singled up the middle to score Volkmann. Both Grass and junior Brooke Hurley scored on senior Lauren Hasty's double to left center and Brooks doubled to the same spot scoring freshman Kaitlin King, who pinch ran for Hasty.
Southern would add one more in the bottom of the fifth as junior Alysha Poteatdoubled to left center to score Fulkerson.
Game Two
The Lions were shut-out for the first time this season by the No. 12-ranked Midwestern State Mustangs, 13-0, in their final game of the MSU Invitational. MSU held the Lions to just three hits and struck out seven Southern hitters.
Nicole Reed, junior Natalie Nelson, and freshman Madison Reed collected the three hits for the Lions.
The loss drops Southern to 3-3 on the season.
The Lions will host the 2011 Boarder Battle on the MSSU campus and at Sportsmans Park of Southwest Missouri this coming weekend, February 26-27. Game times and results can be found at www.mssulions.com.
