St. Joseph, Mo. - Missouri Southern Softball split their pair of games in the second day of the Hy-Vee Classic hosted by Missouri Western at the Heritage Softball Complex Saturday afternoon.

Game One
Southern opened day two with a 5-2 win over Wayne (Neb.) State. The Lions got things started in the second inning with back-to-back doubles from junior Shelby Friend and freshman Erika Lutgen and added their second run a few batters later on a single to left by freshman Emily Harris that scored Lutgen.

Southern stretched its lead in the fourth inning on a double from sophomore Ashley Caldarella that scored senior Sarah Morrison. The Lions added two more runs in the next frame with a single to left from red-shirt sophomore Bailey Skelton that scored sophomore Kylie Wesbrooks and an infield single from junior Abi Corbett that scored junior Myranda Stewart for the 5-0 lead.

Wayne State scored two runs in the top of the sixth on a bases loaded walk and a fielder's choice to left to make it a 5-2 final score.

Freshman Mikaela Cox got the start in the circle and the win for the Lions going six innings allowing two runs, both earned, on eight hits with one walk and four strike outs. Senior Sydney Koch pitched one inning in relief for the save holding the Wildcats to just one hit.

Game Two
In the final game of the day the Lions found themselves in the hole early falling behind 2-0 to Minnesota-Duluth after two innings of play. The Bulldogs scored on a RBI single to shallow right field in the first inning and a RBI double to center field in the second for the 2-0 lead.

Southern got one run back in the home half of the third on a RBI double from junior Shelby Friend that scored Morrison, but UMD tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth via the long ball to make it 4-1. The score stayed at 4-1 until the bottom of the seventh when the Lions mounted a rally. Southern was down to its last out before Corbett doubled to left to start the rally.Corbett scored on a rocket off the Duluth third baseman's glove by Caldarella to make it 4-2. A single to shallow left field from sophomore Angel Badalamenti scored Caldarella from second to make it 4-3. The Southern rally ended when the Bulldog's second baseman that climbed the ladder to catch the screaming line drive by Friend.

Sophomore Taurean Guzman got the start for the Lions going five innings allowing four runs, all earned, on five hits with a pair of walks and two strike outs. Koch pitched two innings in relief allowing just one UMD hit.

On The Day
Lutgen led the offensive attack on the second day of the Hy-Vee Classic going 4-for-7 (.571) with a double and a RBI. Stewart finished 3-for-6 at the plate with a double and a run scored. Corbett, Badalamenti, and Caldarella all finished at .429 (3-for-7) at the plate.

Koch made two appearances in the circle recording a 0.00 ERA in three innings of work and allowing just two hits. Cox made the one appearance in earning the win for the Lions with an ERA of 2.33

Up Next
Southern will close out the Hy-Vee Classic with games against Upper Iowa at 9 a.m. and Northern State at 1 p.m. on Sunday.