Durant, Okla. - The Missouri Southern softball salvaged another split on day two of the Southeastern Regional Invitational at the Durant Multi-Sports Complex. The Lions fell to host Southeastern Oklahoma State 7-4 in the first game and came back to defeat Arkansas Tech 2-0 in the night cap.

Game One
Southeastern Oklahoma State struck first in the early game that was pushed back from 10 am until 2pm due to rain when Keeshia Thompson scored on a fielding error by the Lions. Southern would get that run back and take the lead on the third as senior Alana Hester led the inning off with a single back to the pitcher and stole second. With two outs and Hester at second SOSU walked sophomore Myranda Stewart to get to senior Dru Coleman. Coleman, however, had other plans as she sent a 3-2 pitch over the center field wall for the 3-1 lead. The Lions tacked on another run in the fourth as senior Sarah Williams led off the inning with her second solo shot of the season. Southeastern answered in the home half of the frame as Jordan James led off with a solo shot to make it 4-2. Following the home run Southern put two runners on by hit by pitches and a third with a bunt single to third base. Quickly the Lions got two outs and looked to be out of the danger before a 3-1 walk to Laramie Beal made it 4-3 and a hit by pitch tied it up at 4-4. Freshman Taurean Guzman came in relief at that point and her first pitch sailed to the back stop to give the Savage Storm a 5-4 lead. From there SOSU never looked back as they tacked on two more in the fifth for the 7-4 win.

Stewart went 2-for-2 at the plate with two walks while Hester finished 3-for-4 at the dish. Senior Ashley Lutz got the start inside the circle going three and two thirds innings allowing five runs, all earned, on four hits with one strike out. Guzman came in relief and pitched two and a third allowing two runs, both earned, on two hits with two strike outs.

Game Two
The Lions came back out in the second game and manufactured two runs in the first and defeated Arkansas Tech 2-0 despite be held with out a hit on the night. Hester started the game with a lead off walk and stole second. Sophomore Abi Corbett laid down a bunt to third and a miscommunication between the ATU first and second basemen allowed the throw to sail into right field to score Hester and move herself to third base. Stewart's ground out to short scored Corbett for the final run of the game. ATU threatened in the first and fourth innings loading the bases but the pitching from sophomore Kali' Hodson and the Southern defense stymied the rallies. Arkansas Tech's last chance in the home half of the seventh saw a pinch hitter ground out to third with runners on second and third to end the game.

Hodson pitched all seven innings for the Lions shutting down Arkansas Tech's offense allowing no runs on three hits with six strike outs.

On The Day
Hester was the leader at the dish finishing 3-for-5 (.600) with one double and two runs scored. Stewart hit .400 (2-for-5) for the day with a RBI and a run scored, while Coleman had the three run home run for a slugging percentage of .571. Hodson led the pitching staff with a 0.00 ERA holding the Golden Suns to just three hits.

Up Next
The Lions will face Henderson State at 12:30 p.m. and Oklahoma Christian at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Live Stats for both games will be at sidearmstats.com/mssu/softball.