Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern softball program swept rival Pittsburg State today inside the Pat Lipira Softball Complex.
Southern (10-10, 3-3 MIAA) won the first game that turned into a pitching duel 1-0.
Abby Atkin went the distance limiting Gorilla (8-16, 4-4 MIAA) batters to four hits. Both teams threatened to score before
Makaila Leonhart hit a two-out RBI double scoring
Lynnlee Parrott in the sixth inning.
Pittsburg State (8-16, 4-4 MIAA) hit a double to open up the seventh inning, but the runner was out from a relay from right field to second base and tagged out at third base. Atkin sealed the game off with a strikeout her third of the game. Atkin picked up her fifth win of the season.
Yazmin Vargas, Leonhart,
Leighton Withers, and L. Parrott had a hit in the game.
Game two saw the Lions get on the board in the first and second off a Withers' single scoring
Josie Tofpi before Vargas doubled home
Adrianna Young. Pittsburg State notched a run in the fourth and the Lions responded by scoring two.
Kara Amos scored on a passed ball and a
Tori Frazier sac bunt scored Young as the Lions led 4-1.
Withers tripled in the fifth scoring Leonhart and a Frazier single followed by an error by the catcher scored Young to seal the 6-1 win.
Withers went 2-of-3 with two RBIs,
Tori Frazier also had two RBIs, Young went 2-of-2 scoring three times while stealing two bases, Vargas finished 2-of-4 and stole a base. Amos was in the circle and went the distance striking out three Gorillas while picking up its fourth win of the season.
Up next for the Lions is a road non-conference showdown with William Jewell in Liberty, Mo. Tuesday March 30
th. First pitch is set for 12 pm and game two tentatively at 2 pm.