Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern softball program takes on rivals Pittsburg State tomorrow in a MIAA double header in Pittsburg, Kan. at the Pittsburg State Softball Complex.
The rivals will begin the double-header at 12:00pm with game two set for approximately 2:00pm. In recent years the Lions have had the advantage going 6-4 since 2018 and are on a three game winning streak against the Gorillas.
The Lions (20-15, 8-4 MIAA) as a team is hitting .297 (5th in MIAA) while owning a 3.24 ERA (3rd in MIAA), leads the MIAA in triples and ranks second in Division II with 23 hit so far and is second in the MIAA and 10th nationally in double plays turned with 17.
Individually the Lions are led by
Yazmin Vargas with a .386 batting average with 39 hits, scoring 35 runs (5th in MIAA) while slugging .545, has drawn 14 walks and is 20-25 in thefts (2nd in MIAA, 41st in D-II).
Josie Tofpi is hitting .359 with 33 hits and 22 runs scored with five triples (2nd in MIAA, 10th in D-II) and 20 RBIs and has a team-high 69 assists.
Leighton Withers is hitting .351 with 34 hits, 10 doubles and has team-highs in home runs with six, RBIs with 34 (6th in MIAA) and slugging percentage at .639 while also recording 152 putouts. Ashylnn Williams is hitting .347 with 35 hits, seven doubles, four triples and three home runs with 33 RBIs (8th in MIAA) with a .584 slugging percentage and a team-high 192 putouts recorded.
Kara Amos is hitting .337 with 34 hits, 13 doubles (3rd in MIAA, 20th in D-II) to lead the team and 21 RBIs.
Adrianna Young and
Abby DeSanto have 17 and 10 RBIs this season as well with Young hitting four triples and DeSanto having three home runs.
In the circle the Lions have a potent one-two punch with
Kara Amos and
Bailey Lacy. Amos owns a 2.89 ERA (9th in MIAA) with a 9-7 record in 21 appearances with 10 complete games in 99.1 innings of work (6th in MIAA) while striking out 69 batters and holding opposing batters to a .263 batting average. Lacy owns a 2.53 ERA (6th in MIAA) with a 9-6 record in 21 appearances with seven complete games and four shutouts in 94 innings of work (7th in MIAA) with 86 strikeouts (6th in MIAA) and limits opposing batters to a .271 average.
Avery Tallman is also available and has pitched 30.2 innings with 19 strikeouts and only three walks given up this season.
Pittsburg State (21-16, 3-9 MIAA) as a team is hitting .344 (2nd in the MIAA) while owning a 4.39 ERA (10th in MIAA), leads the MIAA and Division II in home runs with 55 and leads the MIAA and ranks fifth in doubles nationally with 80.
Individually the Gorillas are led by Taylor Lambert with a .492 batting average with 61 hits, 42 runs scored, 10 doubles, six home runs, 24 RBIs, slugs .734 with 17 walks drawn and a .553 on base percentage while being 19-21 for stolen bases. Sophia Driver has a .417 average with 20 hits and 17 runs scored having moved into a starting role recently. Paxtyn Hayes (.397), Madison Szymanski (.395), Keelah Griffith (.364), Gabby Schultz (.352) and Kianna Pellegrino (.313) round out the lineup that has a .300 batting average or higher. Hayes and Szymanski are tied for the team lead with 38 RBIs while Hayes and Griffith have 10 home runs hit this season.
In the circle for the Gorillas Hannah Harrison and
Abby Atkin should figure to draw the starts. Harrison has a 3.02 ERA with a 11-4 record in 22 appearances with eight complete games in 90.1 innings of work with 96 strikeouts and limits opposing batters to a .255 average. Atkin who was a Lion from 2017-21 is 6-9 this season with a 5.91 ERA in 22 appearances with three complete games in 885.1 innings of work with 78 strikeouts and opponents hit .322 against her. Madison Morris and Taylor Compton have each appeared in 15 games this season for Pitt and should figure to be available in relief. Morris has a 3.80 ERA with a 2-0 record in 27.2 innings of work so far with 25 strikeouts and opponents hit .355 against her. Compton has a 3.84 ERA with a 2-3 record while also drawing three starting assignments, has pitched 31 innings so far with 18 strikeouts and walks and opponents hit .289 against her.
