Jefferson City, Mo. – The Missouri Southern Lions (12-23, 4-4 MIAA) dropped a pair of league games to the Lincoln University Blue Tigers 6-3 and 4-2 Sunday afternoon at LU Softball Field.
Game One
Southern managed just six hits in game one with senior Brianna Fulkerson going 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the way for the Lions as they fell to the Blue Tigers for just the third time in the history of the series between the two schools.
Lincoln scored first with a two run double down the left field line in the home half of the first and then adding three more runs in the second before Southern would get on the board in the third inning.
Freshman Brooke Swadley would get on base on an error by the Blue Tigers third baseman and then steal second and advance to third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Brooklyn Farrell. Swadley would eventually score on a double by senior Breanna Volkmann to provide the Lions first run of the game. Missouri Southern would then get within two runs in the sixth as Fulkerson scored on a throwing error by the Lincoln third baseman and senior Lydia Niemegeers would score on a fielder's choice by fellow senior Alysha Poteat.
Sophomore Haley Pypes suffered the loss for Southern as she went 4 1/3 innings giving up five runs, all earned, on five hits while striking out one. Sophomore Arlisa Arwood came in relief for the Lions going 1 2/3 innings giving up one run, earned, on four hits while striking out two.
Game Two
Southern would come up short in the night cap as their comeback bid fell just short in the top of the seventh as they fell 4-2 to Lincoln.
Swadley would lead the way for the Lions in game two going 2-for-3 at the plate while senior Brooke Hurley notched the only RBI in game two.
Lincoln struck first with a two run home run in the first inning and the score would remain 2-0 until the sixth when the Lions would strike for one run as Hurley would walk with the bases loaded to score Volkmann, Southern would leave the bases loaded there as the Blue Tigers would tack on two more in the home half of the inning to make it 4-1.
The Lions would make a comeback bid in the seventh as they would push one run across the plate, as sophomore Chloe Brown would score on an error by the Lincoln second baseman and Southern would leave the bases loaded again to fall 4-2 to the Blue Tigers.
Junior Kayce Moore would go the distance for the Lions giving up four runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out one.
On The Day
Swadley and sophomore Shelby Romines would lead the way for the Lions as they both would go 2-for-6 at the plate. Hurley would collect two RBIs for Southern as Volkmann and Poteat would each grab one RBI.
Next Up
The Lions will travel to Pittsburg State on Wednesday for a non-conference double header slated to start at 5pm.
