Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern softball program completed the first weekend of MIAA play with a sweep of Lincoln today 11-3 and 4-0 inside the Pat Lipira Softball Complex.
The Lions (14-8, 3-1 MIAA) jumped out to an early 4-0 lead with a
Kara Amos double to right center scoring
Yazmin Vargas and
Ashlynn Williams,
Kristen Wade would later double to left field to score Amos and
Adrianna Young hit a bunt single to score
Abby DeSanto to close the first inning. Lincoln (11-10, 0-4 MIAA) was held in check in the second inning and the Lions capitalized with Vargas hitting a triple to score
Sidnie Hurst before scoring later on in the inning for a 6-0 lead.
The third inning saw the Blue Tigers score off a sacrifice fly with the Lions getting a run back in the fourth inning off a
Josie Tofpi home run to left field (her first home run of the season). Lincoln got two runs in the fifth to make it 7-3 before the Lions answered back with a walk in run as
Sidnie Hurst drew the walk to score
Kayla Arzate who was running for Amos.
Southern closed out the game in the sixth inning with Williams doubling home Tofpi, an Amos single up the middle scored Williams before a
Adrianna Young bloop single to right field scored
Kristen Wade for the run rule 11-3 win in the sixth inning.
Totals from the first game saw Amos go 4-for-4 with three RBIs, Tofpi and Young collected two hits and two RBIs as well.
Bailey Lacy pitched four innings of relief with five strikeouts to pick up her fifth win of the season.
Game two began with the Lions getting a run in the first inning with
Ashlynn Williams hitting a single to center field to score
Yazmin Vargas in the lone run of the inning. The second and third inning were scoreless for both teams with the Lions adding runs in the fourth off a Williams triple to center field to score
Josie Tofpi before later scoring off a
Kara Amos single through the left side, the last run was scored with a
Kristen Wade single with
Izzy Medrano crossing the plate after running for Amos.
Bailey Lacy was dealing in the latter innings with her collecting at least a strikeout in each inning to seal the shutout victory. For the game Lacy pitched seven innings with seven strikeouts and allowed only four hits. Williams went 3-for-3 from the plate with two RBIs and Vargas went 2-for-3 as well.
Up next for the Lions will be the Fairfield Classic hosted in St. Joseph where the Lions will be taking on a ranked Minnesota State team to begin the tournament on Friday at noon.
