Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern softball program hits the road as they take on Nebraska – Kearney and Fort Hays State in conference double-headers Friday and Saturday.
Southern (12-10, 3-3 MIAA) is coming off a sweep of William Jewell on the road Tuesday, 5-0 and 9-3.
Offensively the Lions as a team are first in the MIAA with 50 stolen bases, eight triples and rank fourth in scoring 5.41 runs per game. Nationally Southern ranks 15
th in triples and 20
th for stolen bases. Individually the Lions have six batters hitting over .300 (
Josie Tofpi,
Lynnlee Parrott,
Leighton Withers,
Yazmin Vargas,
Kara Amos and
Ashlynn Williams). Tofpi leads the team with a .373 batting average, 17 runs, 25 hits, six doubles, while having 18 RBIs, two home runs, a .582 slugging percentage, and 44 assists. Parrott has a .360 batting average with 10 RBIs .560 slugging percentage and a .484 on-base percentage.
Withers has two triples (T-4
th in MIAA), 19 RBIs, .571 slugging percentage and 78 putouts playing across the infield. Vargas leads the MIAA with 16 stolen bases (18
th Nationally), 18 runs scored, 25 hits, and 50 putouts playing in the outfield. Amos has 16 hits, three home runs, 10 RBIs, a .542 slugging percentage, and a .467 on-base percentage. Williams has five doubles, two triples (T-4
th in MIAA), team-high four home runs, 20 RBIs, .667 slugging percentage, and 104 putouts.
Makaila Leonhart and
Adrianna Young have seven stolen bases (T-10
th in MIAA), and
Sidnie Hurst has five stolen bases (19
th in MIAA).
In the circle
Abby Atkin is tied for the league-lead and ranks 24
th Nationally with 16 appearances, is 6-4 with a 2.71 ERA in 54.1 innings of work, struck out 23 batters limiting opposing batters to a .290 batting average. Atkin in her last two appearances is 2-0 with 13 innings worked a 0.00 ERA, seven strikeouts and a .156 opposing batting average. Amos as a pitcher is 4-4 in 12 appearances with a 3.55 ERA in 45.1 innings, striking out a team-high 35 batters, and a .278 opposing batting average.
Lopers (10-14, 1-7 MIAA) are led offensively by Carlee Leisch with a .429 batting average, 39 hits, three triples while having 11 RBIs and stealing 11 bases. Bri Healy has a team-high eight home runs and 25 RBIs. Melissa Gellermann has a 4.09 ERA going 2-4 in 49.2 innings striking out a team-high 35. Kelsey Goodban is 5-4 with a 5.43 ERA in 40 innings of work striking out 31 batters.
Tigers (10-12, 4-2 MIAA) are led by Sara Breckbill with a .370 batting average, 27 hits, nine doubles, a home run and 18 RBIs. Loren Beggs and Kristen Reed each have two home runs and Sarah Tiffany has seven stolen bases. Michaelann Nelson is 5-7 with a 1.71 ERA in 65.1 innings, striking out 61 batters and limits opposing batters to a .207 batting average. Hailey Chapman is 5-4 in 72 innings has a 3.01 ERA striking out 44 batters and limits opposing batters to a .261 batting average.
First pitch against the Lopers is set for 2 pm Friday from Patriot Park, and first pitch against the Tigers is set for 12 pm Friday from Tiger Stadium.
