Joplin, Mo. - The 25th ranked Missouri Southern softball program swept Northwest Missouri 5-1 and 4-3 at the Pat Lipira Softball Complex on Friday, Apr. 21st.
Southern (33-8, 18-2 MIAA) was led by Ashlynn Wiliams in game one going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Kara Amos went 1-for-2 and also had 2 RBIs in the first game with
Josie Tofpi collecting an RBI.
Bailey Lacy won her 11th game of the season with six strikeouts in 5.0 innings as Amos finished the game in the circle and struck out two in a no save situation.
In the first inning the Lions jumped out to a 3-0 lead following a Tofpi RBI and Williams home run to left center for her fifth home run of the season and 15th of her career. Southern scored again in the third inning with an Amos double to right center scoring Williams and Tofpi to make it a 5-0 game.
Northwest Missouri (24-22, 7-13 MIAA) scored their lone run of the game in the fourth and that scoreline would hold true to the end with the Lions claiming a 5-1 win in game one.
In game two Williams went 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored to lead the way as
Sidnie Hurst finished with 2 RBIs and
Abby DeSanto picked up a pinch hit RBI.
Natalie Bates went 4.2 innings and struck out five to earn her 7th win of the season with Amos claiming her first save of the season pitching 0.2 innings and striking out both batters she faced.
The Lions got out to an early 3-0 lead again this time scoring in the second inning off a Wililams double to center field and a Hurst single up the middle scoring two. Northwest Missouri scored two runs in the fifth to make it a one run game before a pinch hitting DeSanto double to right center scored a pinch running
Yazmin Vargas making it a 4-2 lead.
Northwest scored one more run in the seventh and was threatening to score more before Amos came in and struck out back-co-back batters to close the game out 4-3 in favor of the Lions.
Up next for the Lions will be Missouri Western in the last home conference double header of the regular season on Saturday, Apr. 22nd at the Pat Lipira Softball Complex at 1:00pm. Following the conclusion of the second game against Western the Lions will honor the senior class for both programs.
Career Update
Ashlynn Williams - Moved into a tie for sixth in home runs with 15 alongside Sarah Williams (2013-16), Shelby Romines (2011-14), Megan Roark (2008-11) and Paula Baker (2001-02). Ashlynn also surpassed Angie Turner (2006-10) for 9th in RBIs having 103 following today.
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