Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Softball Lions split a pair of MIAA games on Saturday afternoon at Lea Kungle Field defeating Lincoln 5-0 before falling 5-4 in extra innings in the night cap.

Game One
Southern (19-24, 7-9 MIAA) struck first in the bottom of the second on a throwing error by the Lincoln (4-33, 3-15 MIAA) catcher and a sacrifice fly from freshman Kylie Wesbrooks for a 2-0 lead. The Lions added one more in the bottom of the third on a suicide squeeze from freshman Ashley Caldarella that scored sophomore Abi Corbett to make it 3-0 Southern. The offense struck again in the bottom of the sixth for a pair of runs on RBI singles by sophomore Myranda Stewart and senior Alana Hester to make it 5-0.

Senior Ashley Lutz (11-11) went the distance for the Lions allowing five hits with two walks and six strike outs.

Game Two
The Lions struck in the bottom of the first that started with a double down the left field line by Hester. A single to the third baseman by sophomore Abi Corbett scored Hester and a single to center from freshman Taurean Guzman scored Corbett from second to give Southern the early 2-0 lead. The Lions added one more run in the home half of the fourth with a RBI double from Stewart that scored senior Sarah Williams for the 3-0 lead. In the top of the fifth, Lincoln took advantage of a Southern error to plate three runs and tie it at 3-3. That is were the score would remain for the next four innings, Southern had a runner(s) on second or third in the bottom of the sixth, eighth, and ninth with a chance to win but wasn't able to push the run across. Lincoln took advantage of the international tie breaker rule in the tenth inning and scored two runs on a RBI single down the left field line. The Lions managed just one run in the bottom of the tenth on a RBI single from junior Sydney Fry that scored Guzman for the 5-4 score.

Sophomore Kali' Hodson started the night cap for Southern and went four innings allowing five hits, Lutz came in relief in the fifth and pitched six innings allowing five runs, three earned, on seven hits with 10 strike outs.

On The Day
Lutz now has 121 strike outs for the season giving her 232 for her career and places her fifth on the All-Time strike out list at MSSU. Hester stole two bases on the day giving her 98 career swipes just one off from tying the career mark set by Erin Turner (1999-2002). Williams finished the day 4-for-8 (.500) at the plate with a pair of doubles, while Corbett and Hester both finished 4-for-9 (.444) scoring a combined three runs and Hester added two doubles herself on the day.

Up Next
The Lions will have their complex dedication at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow prior to the 1 p.m. double header with Lindenwood University.