Oklahoma City, Okla. – The Missouri Southern softball program got on the board early and often to begin the season with a run-rule victory over Midwestern State 17-8 this evening at Tom Heath Field to begin the Edmond Regional Festival.
 
The Lions (1-0) were led by Leighton Withers going 2-of-3 with four RBIs and a walk drawn, Josie Tofpi picked up three RBIs while Adrianna Young, Ashlynn Williams and Kara Amos each had 2 RBIs with Amos going 3-of-4 from the plate. Yazmin Vargas came away with two stolen bases and scored three runs batting leadoff, Abby DeSanto making her collegiate debut had three runs to go with two walks drawn. Avery Tallman picked up her first collegiate win pitching in relief for the Lions striking out two in 1.1 innings of work today.
 
To begin the scoring in the game a first inning Tofpi double down the left field line scored Vargas who forcing an error from the first baseman and then proceeded to steal second on the first pitch of the next at bat. Withers came up to bat with the bases loaded and proceeded to clear them with a double down the left field line to end the Lions portion of the first inning up 4-0.
 
Withers got the scoring started in the second inning hitting a single through the left side of the infield scoring Jennelle Lundien who was pinch running for Kara Amos. The Lions forced the bases loaded later in the inning picking up their sixth run thanks to Young drawing a walk scoring DeSanto.
 
The Lions got two more runs in the top half of the third inning to head into the bottom half up 8-0. Midwestern State (0-1) got three unearned runs in the bottom half of the inning making it 8-3.
 
Midwestern State held the Lion bats to no hits in the fourth inning but Kayla Arzate who was pinch running for Williams stole second to get into a scoring position. The Mavericks would tie it up 8-8 in the bottom half of the fourth inning but that was all they would score.
 
Southern worked their way into having the bases loaded before a Williams single cleared the bases opening up a 11-8 lead. The rest of the scoring in the nine run fifth inning went like this, Young tripled home Williams, Kristen Wade hit a bunt single to score Young, Amos singled home Wade and Sidnie Hurst before a Tofpi single up the middle scored Vargas and Amos to finish the scoring 17-8.
 
Tallman got the first two outs of the fifth inning by way of strikeout before a groundout to Tofpi sealed the run rule victory for the Lions. With the win it keeps the Lions opening day win streak under coach Hallie Blackney as the Lions have won each of the four opening games under her leadership.