Edmond, Okla. - The Missouri Southern softball program split the first two days of the MIAA/GAC Crossover before giving #16 Southern Arkansas their second loss of the season, 6-2 on Sunday at Yukon High School.
The Lions (9-5) began the weekend against Arkansas Tech (7-4) as
Emily Perry and
Ashlynn Williams went 2-for-3 against the Golden Suns as Perry picked up the lone RBI. In the circle,
Natalie Bates and
Bailey Lacy had two strikeouts each in the game. Southern fell behind 4-0 following a grand slam by Arkansas Tech with a Perry RBI single scoring
Carsen Tinkler in the fourth inning to make it a 4-1 game, ultimately falling 5-1.
In game two Southern got a 6-5 win over East Central (0-5) as
Adrianna Young and Williams had two RBIs each, in the circle
Avery Tallman picked up the win with 5.2 innings of work and Lacy got her first save of the season. Williams got the scoring started in the first inning with a double down the line to score
Josie Tofpi and in the second inning a Young home run and fielders choice scored three for a 4-0 lead. The Tigers scored a run in the third and sixth innings to make it a two score game before Withers doubled home Perry and a
Kara Amos single through the left side scored
Peyton Hawkins for a 6-2 lead after six innings. East Central would get three runs across in the top of the seventh inning but Lacy got the third out on a swinging strikeout to ensure the win to end the first day of the tournament.
Southern matched up against Southeastern Oklahoma (4-7) for the second time in as many weeks as the Savage Storm used a big fourth inning and staved off a seventh inning rally to win 9-8. Withers and Tofpi hit a home run in the game with Withers leads the way with three RBIs as
Kate Thurman and Tofpi had two RBIs each. The Lions would score their first run of the game with a Tofpi home run to right field in the second inning to mark the second home run hit against Southeastern Oklahoma this season by the senior and her third of the season. In the third inning, Williams walked in Young, Tofpi hit a sacrifice fly to score Perry and a Thurman double scored Williams and Withers for an early 5-1 lead. The Savage Storm scored six in the fourth and one in the fifth to claim a four run lead heading into the final inning, in the seventh inning, Withers unleashed her fourth home run of the season to score Perry and Young for the 9-8 final score.
To end the second day the Lions would beat Southern Nazarene (6-5), 8-5 with runs in the first two innings and in the seventh proving to be vital. Withers led the way with two home runs and five RBIs going 3-for-4 and in the circle
Avery Tallman picked up her seventh win of the season after 4.0 innings and
Natalie Bates throwing 3.0 innings in relief and struck out four for the save. In the first inning, Withers hit a two run homer to score Tofpi but it was the three run second inning that saw the Lions create separation.
Grace Parrott doubled home Tinkler, Perry singled home Parrot and a Withers single to right center scored Perry to make it 5-0. The Storm got two runs in the fourth while Thurman singled home Williams to make it 6-2 game heading to the bottom half of the inning where SNU scored three runs for a one run lead for the Lions. In the seventh inning Withers made sure the game was put away for good with a two run home run to score Tofpi for the 8-5 final scoreline.Â
The weekend was capped off with an upset of the #16 Southern Arkansas Muleriders (12-2), 6-2 with a big fourth inning by the Lions catapulting them over the ranked opposition. Southern would have home runs hit by Withers and Parrott with Tallman pitching her third complete game and eighth win of the season in the circle. Both teams were held scoreless until the third inning where the Muleriders hit a solo home run to take an early lead. The Lions got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning following a Thurman single up the middle to score Williams and a three run homer by Parrott opened up a 4-1 lead. Withers homered in the fifth inning to mark the seventh homer of the season for the senior and an RBI double in the seventh scored Perry making it a 6-1 score. Southern Arkansas got one run across in the bottom half of the seventh but fell for the second time in two days to MIAA opposition after being bested by #1 Rogers State, 3-2 on Saturday.
Up next the Lions will be hosting the MIAA/GLVC Crossover from Friday, Mar. 3rd - Sunday, Mar. 5th with games to be played at the Pat Lipira Softball Complex.
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