Claremore, Okla. – The Missouri Southern softball program fell to #4 Rogers State 1-0 and 6-3 today inside the Diamond Sports Complex to end the weekend.
The Lions (16-15, 4-4 MIAA) and Hillcats (26-2, 6-0 MIAA) were engaged in a pitcher's duel in game one with both defenses providing key plays throughout as well. In the first inning the Lions got a hit from
Josie Tofpi down the right field line but couldn't get her across and in the bottom half of the inning, a 4-6-3 double play ended the first for the Hillcats.
In the second inning the Lions went down in order and in the bottom half executed a 6-3 double play and got a flyout to center to retire the Hillcats. The fourth inning saw the Lions execute a 4-6-3 double play again to end the inning and was the third double play of the day.
For the Hillcats in the fifth inning they got a leadoff single but the pinch runner was called out for leaving early before a solo home run gave them the lead and ultimately the game. Southern almost got a leadoff hit in the sixth but a the Hillcats right fielder covered a lot of ground to secure the out and reigning MIAA Pitcher of the Year Andrea Morales didn't allow another ball to leave the infield for the rest of the game to secure the 1-0 win.
Game one saw Tofpi pick up a hit and she was involved in all three of the double plays as well defensively while
Kara Amos pitched six innings with three strikeouts in the loss.
Southern in the second inning of the second game got a single by
Leighton Withers and advanced to second on a fielding error by the right fielder and
Ashlynn Williams reached on a fielding error by the left fielder before advancing to second while moving Withers to third with one out in the inning. The Hillcats would deny the Lions any runs as a flyout to left field was caught and the throw to the plate was one time and the tag executed for a double play.
A bases loaded triple down the right field line by the Hillcats in the bottom of the second inning resulted in a 3-0 lead. The Lions responded in the third inning as back-to-back-to-back singles by
Tori Frazier,
Adrianna Young and
Yazmin Vargas got a run on the board before adding a second off a Tofpi ground out cutting the lead to one (3-2).
The Lions got out of a base loaded jam in the fourth inning as a groundout to Tofpi preserved the 3-2 score and in the fifth Young got a single but a double play was turned by the Hillcats for the second straight inning to keep the Lions off the board. In the sixth inning the Hillcats got three runs highlighted by an Elexis Watson two run home run that was her 51
st of her career to make it 6-2.
In the seventh inning the Lions got a run in off a
Tori Frazier single to right center to score
Kristen Wade but that was all the Lions scored in the inning for the final score of 6-3.
For the game Young and Frazier each had two hits while Vargas, Tofpi and Frazier picked up an RBI.
Bailey Lacy started in the circle for the Lions and came away with five strikeouts in the loss.
Up next for the Lions is Nebraska-Kearney on Friday April, 1
st at 3:00 and 5:00pm approximately that will also serve as the Pink game for the team. The double header against Fort Hays State will follow on Saturday April, 2
nd at 1:00 and 3:00pm approximately to end the weekend. All games will be played at the Pat Lipira Softball Complex in the Lions' return back home.
