TOPEKA, Kan.—The Missouri Southern State University softball team opened the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association portion of its schedule on Friday with a split with the Washburn Ichabods.

Southern (11-7, 1-1 MIAA) won the first contest 8-5 before Washburn (13-12, 1-1 MIAA) won the second game 9-4.

After trailing 3-0 in the first game, Southern cracked through in the top of the third inning when Haleigh Scott singled to center field scoring Makaila Leonhart while Erika Lutgen drove home Josie Tofpi on a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-2. The fourth inning started with another solid single from Scott up the middle to score Leonhart to equalize the game at three.

After two more runs scored in the bottom of the fourth, Southern bounced back with a Kristen Wade triple down the right field line to start the scoring, driving home Taylor Hinnekam, before Elizabeth Windsor had a solid single, scoring Wade to third to make the score 5-5 going to the bottom of the fifth.

Both teams went scoreless the final two innings pushing the game need extra innings. The Lions were able to load the bases for Lynnlee Parrot, who came up clutch with a two-run double to left center to make the score 7-5. They added an insurance run to close out the inning.

Offensively, Josie Tofpi was 3-for-4 with two runs scored as the Lions accumulated 11 hits and nine walks. In the circle, Abby Atkin earned the win to move to 7-2 on the season. She pitched the eight-inning complete game by tossing 153 pitches. She allowed five runs, four earned, on 10 hits with four strikeouts.

In the second game, the Lions trailed 2-0 but a sacrifice fly for Leonhart and a 2-run double down the right field line for Scott gave Southern the lead before the Ichabods scored seven unanswered.

The Lions return to MIAA action on Saturday with a doubleheader at Emporia State, starting at noon.