Jefferson City, Mo. – The Missouri Southern softball program swept the Blue Tigers of Lincoln today 12-4, 5-0 today at the LU Softball Field.
Getting the scoring started in game one was Southern (19-12-1, 10-5-1 MIAA) as
Leighton Withers hit a three-run home run her third of the season and a
Kara Amos single scored
Adrianna Young in the top half of the first inning. Lincoln (6-27-1, 3-17 MIAA) responded in the bottom half of the first inning with three runs as after one complete it was 4-3 in favor of the Lions.
Bailey Lacy came into the game in the third inning and didn't allow a single baserunner until the seventh inning and struck out nine straight batters beginning in the fourth and lasting until the sixth inning.
Both teams would not put any runs on the board again until the fifth inning when
Yazmin Vargas singled to begin the inning before stealing second and advanced to third and later home off passed balls for the Lions.
In the seventh inning
Sidnie Hurst scored off a throwing error by the catcher after stealing third base to begin the five-run scoring burst by the Lions in the inning.
Josie Tofpi singled home Vargas, Withers doubled home Tofpi, Young tripled home Withers, Young scored off an error by the shortstop and
Lynnlee Parrott tripled home
Kristen Wade and Amos. The Blue Tigers responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning, but it was too late as the Lions came away 12-4 winners.
Lacy picked up her seventh win of the season pitching five innings, limiting Blue Tiger hitters to a hit, no walks and 12 strikeouts. Withers finished 2-of-4 with a home run and four RBIs,
Adrianna Young went 3-of-4 scoring twice and had an RBI while Vargas went 2-of-3 scoring twice while stealing four bases.
Between
Abby Atkin's two and Lacy's 12 strikeouts in game one, the Lions tied a school record for most strikeouts by a team with 14. The record was set against Fort Hays State (3-11-06) before being matched against Northeastern State (3-16-13).
Game two saw the Lions score first again this time in the second inning as a
Grace Parrott double scored
Kristen Wade. Withers picked up another RBI on the day driving in
Makaila Leonhart in the third inning as Southern led 2-0 after three innings.
Leonhart tripled home Vargas and
Sidnie Hurst before scoring later in the seventh inning on a groundout as the Lions swept Lincoln winning game two 4-0.
Amos pitched four innings in relief picking up her fifth win of the season, Lacy struck out four in three innings limiting Blue Tiger batters to a hit. Leonhart went 1-of-3 scored twice, had two RBIs and stole a base. Vargas went 2-of-4 scoring once and stealing two more bases.
As a team today Southern stole 14 bases and struck out 18 Blue Tigers. Next up for the Lions is Central Missouri tomorrow with first pitch from Warrensburg set for 1 pm.
