Topeka, Kan. - The 25th ranked Missouri Southern softball program began the MIAA Tournament off with an 11-3 run rule victory over Emporia State at Envista Softball Complex on Wednesday, May 3rd.

Missouri Southern (37-11, 21-5 MIAA) finished with four players collecting two hits and three having multiple RBIs. Leighton Withers and Yazmin Vargas hit home runs with Vargas hitting an inside the park home run. Avery Tallman picked up her 16th win of the season after 4.1 innings of shutout relief work striking out three and only allowing two base runners during her time in the circle.

In the first inning Emporia State (33-22, 13-13 MIAA) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead but from there the Lions roared into action. Southern got on the board first in the second inning with a five run explosion with Withers hitting a solo home run to left field her 11th of the season as Katie Gray, Adrianna Young and Emily Perry collected RBI hits as well. 

The Lions were not done scoring with a six run third inning pushing the lead up to the eventual 11-3 final score, Grace Parrott hit a pich hit RBI single, a Hornets error allowed Ashlynn Williams to score, Gray hit a RBI single and Vargas hit a three run inside the park home run down the left field line to cap off the scoring for the game. Tallman would secure the game with a 1-2-3 fourth and following a lead off walk in the fifth got three straight batters out to enact the run rule victory.

Up next the Lions will play No. 9 Rogers State at 6:30pm on Field One at Envista Softball Complex on Thursday May 4th. Read Full Article