Oklahoma City, Okla. – The Missouri Southern softball program split its two games today to close out the first week of the Edmond Regional Festival.
Game one saw the Lions (2-3) complete a late inning comeback with a walk off 5-4 win over Southern Nazarene (1-7) in the ninth inning.
The Crimson Storm scored two runs in the first and second inning for an early 4-0 lead before being shutout the rest of the way. Southern got on the board in the fourth inning as Abby DeSanto drew a walk to begin the inning before Adrianna Young forced a throwing error by the third baseman to score DeSanto.
In the fifth inning the Lions had runners on first and second after a Yazmin Vargas walk and then stole base and a Kara Amos walk was drawn before the Crimson Storm turned a double play to end the inning. Bailey Lacy struck out the side in the top half of the sixth inning with the Lions looking to keep the momentum.
The Lions began the sixth inning off with a DeSanto double to left field before she advanced to third on a passed ball leading up for a Leighton Withers RBI single up the middle. Following a pitching change Adrianna Young doubled down the left field line to score Kristen Wade who was pitch running for Withers making it 4-3. The Crimson Storm switched back to their pitcher that started the inning but could not keep the Lions off the scoreboard as a Izzy Medrano single scored Young who was at third base following a passed ball to tie it up 4-4.
Lacy got the Southern Nazarene lineup to go down in order in the seventh inning with the Lions looking to end it in the bottom half of the inning. Josie Tofpi got on base thanks to a fielder's choice before making it to third following a Withers single to right field, Withers would steal second base and Ashlynn Williams was intentionally walked to load the bases before the Crimson Storm got out of the jam with a strikeout to head into extra innings.
Southern Nazarene had back-to-back two out singles to threaten scoring before the third out was collected by Young in left field to end the top half of the eighth inning. Southern went down in order in the eighth to send the teams into the final inning still tied 4-4.
The Crimson Storm flew out to each outfielder (right-center-left) in the top half of the ninth inning in order. Amos began the bottom half off with a double to right field before being pitch ran for by Kayla Arzate, Tofpi hit a single to center field advancing to second with Arzate going to third base.
With no outs and runners on second and third base the Lions had DeSanto come up to bat before she was intentionally walked to load the bases. Back-to-back fielders choice's set up Young for the walk-off single to right center scoring DeSanto to end the game 5-4.
Withers finished the game going 3-of-5 with an RBI, Young went 2-of-4 with two RBIs, Izzy Medrano also collected an RBI while DeSanto scored three times and drew two walks. Lacy picked up her first win of the season throwing eight scoreless innings of relief striking out five in the process.
In game two Southern fell to #15 Oklahoma Christian (6-2) 12-4 to close out the weekend tournament for the Lions. Scoring three runs in the top half of the first inning with Leighton Withers and Ashlynn Williams picking up an RBI in the inning while Williams scored off a fielding error by the Eagles..
The Bottom half of the first inning saw Oklahoma Christian tie it up 3-3 off a bases clearing double. Oklahoma Christian added three unearned runs in the second inning to have a 6-3 lead heading to the third inning.
Both teams were kept off the board in the third and fourth inning before a pair of Eagle errors scored Yazmin Vargas in the fourth inning. A two run home run started a five run inning for Oklahoma Christian making it 11-4.
The Lions got a runner into scoring position with Izzy Medrano getting on base with a hit-by-pitch before stealing second base and then going to third after a Vargas bunt single before the third out of the half inning was recorded. Oklahoma Christian scored executed a delayed double steal with runners on the corner to score a run and made it the 12-4.
Williams went 2-of-3 scoring a run and picking up an RBI, Withers also scored a run and picked up an RBI, Young and Vargas also scored in the game.
Up next for the Lions is East Central at 10:30 am and Southeastern Oklahoma at 12:45pm approximately to begin the second weekend of the Edmond Regional Festival on Friday February 18th. The two games will be the only games played on Friday will be at Tom Heath Field on the campus of Oklahoma Christian next week, with the other four games of the weekend being played at the Broncho Softball Field at Central Oklahoma.
