Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern softball program plays host to the Emporia State Hornets tomorrow afternoon in a MIAA double-header to begin the last week of the regular season for the Lions. First pitch from the Pat Lipira Softball Complex is set for 2 pm.
Southern (22-13-1, 13-6-1 MIAA) is 7-2-1 in the last ten games against MIAA opponents picking up wins against then #22 Rogers State, Central Missouri in Warrensburg for the first time since 2013, and the first sweep of Washburn since 2011. The Lions are currently in fourth place in the conference standings and look set to be in the conference tournament for the first time since the 2017 season.
As a team the Lions are first in the MIAA in stolen bases (82), stolen bases per game (2.28), triples (15), triples per game (0.42), and double plays turned per game (0.44). While being second in double plays turned (16), and sacrifice bunts (23) while being fifth in the MIAA in scoring averaging 5.17 runs per game. Nationally the Lions are fifth in triples, sixth in double plays turned, 12
th in stolen bases, 17
th in triples per game and double plays turned per game and 23
rd in stolen bases per game. The Lions have five batters hitting .300 or better headlined by
Josie Tofpi at .384 (5
th in the MIAA).
Tofpi also has scored 27 times, tied for the team lead with 43 hits (T-10
th in MIAA), 10 doubles (T-5
th in MIAA), three home runs, team-high 28 RBIs, a .589 slugging percentage, is 5-5 stealing while having a team-high 79 assists.
Kara Amos has a .356 batting average with four home runs and 22 RBIs, slugging .529, and a .472 on-base percentage (6
th in MIAA).
Yazmin Vargas has a .350 batting average with 29 runs scored (T-9
th in MIAA), 43 hits (T-10
th in MIAA), leads the MIAA and is second nationally in stolen bases going 28-30, leads the MIAA and ranks tenth nationally in stolen bases per game (0.80), and leads the outfield with 74 putouts.
Makaila Leonhart is tied for ninth in the MIAA with nine doubles, and ninth in stolen bases going 11-12. The Lions have seven batters with two triples on the season (
Sidnie Hurst, Leonhart,
Lynnlee Parrott, Tofpi, Vargas,
Ashlynn Williams, and
Leighton Withers).
In the circle for the Lions
Abby Atkin is 9-5 with a 2.73 ERA (10
th in MIAA) in 23 appearances. Atkin has pitched 89.2 innings striking out 38 and limiting opposing batters to a .269 batting average.
Bailey Lacy is 8-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 18 appearances and has pitched 67 innings striking out a team-high 69 and limits opposing batters to a .254 batting average. Lacy is third in the MIAA in strikeouts per seven innings (7.2), sixth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.83) and is 11
th in WHIP at 1.28. Amos is 5-5 in 17 appearances pitching 57.2 innings, striking out 39 and limiting opposing batters to a .273 batting average while having a 1.46 WHIP.
Emporia State (18-18, 8-10 MIAA) sits in ninth in the conference standings. As a team they hit .271 with 69 stolen bases while having a team ERA of 4.23. Individually the Hornets are led by Roni Raines with a .341 batting average, 30 hits, three home runs, 20 RBIs, and a .511 slugging percentage. Abby Ward (21-22) and Gabby Biondo (18-20) are second and tied for third in the MIAA in stolen bases. Kelsey Phillips leads the Hornets in the circle with a 9-5 record with a 3.04 ERA in 17 appearances. Phillips has pitched 89.2 innings striking out 53 and limiting opposing batters to a .290 batting average. Josie Harrison (4-4, 4.05 ERA in 55.1 innings, 35 strikeouts, .279 opposing batting average) and Kerrigan Dixon (3-5, 4.65 ERA in 49.2 innings, 18 strikeouts, .351 opposing batting average) round out the most used pitchers by the Hornets.
