Durant, Okla. - The Missouri Southern Lions opened the 2016 season with a split against Southwestern Oklahoma State, losing 3-2 in extra innings, and beating Oklahoma Christian 9-3 Friday morning/afternoon at the Durant Multi-Sports Complex.

Game One
The Lions got off to a rough start as senior Ashley Lutz loaded the bases for Southwestern Oklahoma State and allowed two Bulldog runs in the first inning. After the second run scored, Lutz settled down and struck out the final two batters of the inning. Southern's offense was quiet in the opener as well until the fourth inning when freshman Ashley Caldarella stroked her first career home run for The Green & Gold to tie the game at two all. Southern had the winning run in scoring position in the fifth and again in the sixth before a diving catch on a line drive by the Bulldogs' first baseman. In the seventh inning the Lions' freshman Taurean Guzman reached on a fielding error by Southwestern Oklahoma's shortstop and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Alana Hester. With one out junior Sydney Fry's ground out to the short stop put runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs before the Lions would leave the two stranded. In the extra frame the Bulldogs' pushed across the going ahead run via the international tie breaker. In the home half of the eighth freshman Angel Badalamenti sacrificed sophomore Myranda Stewart over to third and runners were on the corners after a walk to Caldarella with one out. Back-to-back fly outs, one to left and the final one to right, ended the Lions' comeback.

For the game senior Alana Hester led the Lions at the dish going 2-for-3 while Caldarella gather the only other hit for Southern and the lone RBIs. Lutz pitched all eight innings inside the circle allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits with 10 strike outs.

Game Two
The Lions struck first in the second game as Stewart scored on a ground rule double by senior Sarah Williams. In the bottom of the second Oklahoma Christian tied the game up at 1-1 on a bases loaded walk before an inning ending double play was induced by Guzman. Southern took the lead for good in next frame as Stewart laced a two RBI single into center field. Badalamenti followed that up with an RBI ground out to shortstop and Williams' second double of the day plated the fourth run of the inning for a 5-1 lead. The Eagles got two runs back in the home half of the fourth when third baseman Kirsten Scott hit a two run home run for a 5-3 score. Southern got those two runs back in the top of the sixth with back-to-back solo home runs from Williams and freshman Kylie Wesbrooks. The Lions tacked two more on in the top of the seventh as Fry scored on a wild pitch and Stewart scored on a double from Caldarella.

For the game Williams led the Lions at the dish going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Stewart finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and three runs scored. Guzman got her first career win for Southern as she pitched five innings allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits with three strike outs. Sophomore Kali' Hodson pitched two shut out innings of relief allowing no hits with one walk and one strike out.

On The Day
Three Lions hit .400 or better on the day led by Caldarella who finished 3-for-6 at the plate with a double and a home run, Williams hit .429 (3-for-7) on the afternoon with two doubles and a home run, and Stewart finished 2-for-5 (.400) with three runs scored and two RBIs. Despite the loss in the opening game Lutz led the pitching starters with a 1.75 ERA while Hodson pitched two scoreless and allowed zero hits in relief against Oklahoma Christian.

The Lions will be back in action tomorrow morning for day two of the Southeastern Regional Invitational as they take on the host Southeastern Oklahoma State at 10 a.m. Live stats and live video streaming links can be found on the softball schedule page at mssulions.com.