Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Lions softball team (19-16, 4-4 MIAA) swept a pair of league games today from Washburn University in Joplin, 9-0 and 9-1.
Game One
Southern struck first as junior Brooke Hurley connected for a double to right center that scored sophomore Dawn Grass. The Lions then used a big inning in game one to come up with eight runs on eight hits against Washburn. Junior Breanna Volkmann hit a triple scoring fellow junior Brianna Fulkerson. Volkmann then scored on a fielder's choice by junior Alysha Poteat. Poteat then scored on Grass' eight home run of the year. Fulkerson singled to the shortstop which scored sophomore Jessica Brooks. Volkmann hit a single to the second baseman that scored junior Natalie Nelson and Poteat hit a double down the right field line that scored Fulkerson and Hurley.
Junior Nicole Reed (15-4) allowed just two hits in game one allowing zero runs, walking none, and striking out three.
Game Two
Reed started game two the same way she finished game one, almost perfect. Reed was perfect through four innings but she allowed a solo home run in the top of the fifth for Washburn's only run of the day. In the night cap reed allowed just the one run and one hit while walking zero and striking out eight. With those eight strike outs Reed is now sixth on the single season leader board with 138 on the season.
Offensively the Lions stayed hot as the team went 13-for-26 from the plate, scoring nine runs. Southern used to four run innings in the first and second innings. Senior Megan Roark would end up going 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs and scoring two runs. Her final RBI was on a walk off double to right center that plated Poteat. Poteat would go 3-for-4 at the dish scoring three runs with a single RBI, and Grass and Nelson would add two hits each for the Lions.
Southern will be back in action Tuesday as they host the RiverHawks of Northeastern State University in a double header that will begin at 4pm at Lea Kungle Field. The Lions split an earlier double header this season with Northeastern falling 5-2 and the winning the night cap 9-4 in Tahlequah.
