Durant, Okla. - The Missouri Southern Softball team dropped a pair of games on the second day of the Southeastern Oklahoma State Regional Invitational falling 7-4 to Rockhurst and 13-12 to host SOSU in eight innings.
Rockhurst Game
Southern got things started in the home half of the first with senior
Sarah Morrison and junior
Abi Corbett both scoring on an error by the Rockhurst second baseman. Rockhurst added three in the top half of the second on a RBI single and two RBI triple to center. The Lions tied the game at 3-3 in the third after a lead off triple by Corbett who later scored on a throwing error by the RU shortstop. The Hawks retook the lead in the top of the fourth but Southern got the game back within one on a RBI single from sophomore
Ashley Caldarella that scored fellow sophomore
Angel Badalamenti. Rockhurst added two insurance runs in the top of the sixth for the 7-4 win.
Junior
Shelby Friend got the start and went two innings allowing three runs, all earned, on six hits. Senior
Sydney Koch pitched four innings in relief allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits and freshman
Mikaela Cox pitched one scoreless inning holding the Hawks to just one hit.
Southeastern Oklahoma State Game
The Lions once again got thing started first in the top of the opening frame with a pair of singles from Morrison, to left field, and Corbett, down the right field line, before junior
Myranda Stewart belted an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall for the early 3-0 lead over Southeastern Oklahoma State. SOSU got one run back in the home half with a RBI double to center before Koch joined the offensive party with a solo home run to left to make it 4-1 in the second and Corbett scored from second on a bunt single by Friend in the third for the 5-1 lead. The Savage Storm came alive in the fifth inning scoring seven runs on seven hits with one Southern error. Down to their last out, Southern's offense came back to life after three dormant innings. With a runner on first in Stewart and two outs Friend singled through the left side and freshman
Erika Lutgen followed up with a two RBI double that careened off the center field fence. On the next at bat Badalamenti took a 3-2 pitch into center field to score sophomore
Kylie Wesbrooks, who pinch ran for Lutgen, to tie it at 8-8. In the eighth, Southern loaded the bases with two outs again before Friend took an 0-1 pitch to deep center field for her first grand slam of the season and gave the Lions a 12-8 lead. Southeastern used to home runs, a two run and a three run, to complete the comeback 13-12 win in extra innings.
Sophomore
Taurean Guzman got the start for Southern inside the circle and went four and two-thirds innings allowing seven runs, six earned, on eight hits with six strike outs. Friend came in relief to pitch three innings allowing six runs, four earned, on five hits with a pair of strike outs.
On the Day
Corbett once again led the offensive attack for the Lions going 4-for-7 (.571) with four runs score, a double, a triple, and a slugging percentage of 1.000. Morrison finished the day 4-for-9 (.444) with a pair of runs scored while Friend finished 3-for-8 with a team high six runs batted in.
Up Next
The Lions will close out the Southeastern Regional Invitational with a 9:30 a.m. game with Oklahoma Christian University and a 2:30 p,m. contest with East Central University.Live video and stat links can be found at mssulions.com
