Hot Springs, Ark. - The Missouri Southern Softball team opened up their 2024 season in Hot Springs, Arkansas on February 2nd to compete in day 1 of the Ronnie Hawkins/Mike McGhee Memorial Tournament. The Lions won both games in a run-rule, scoring 17 combined runs in only 12 innings.
Missouri Southern vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State
W, 9-1 /6 inn.
The Bulldogs struck first off a wild pitch, giving them the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Katie Gray followed up with a solo home run in the top of the second to tie the game at 1-1. In the top of the third,
Emily Perry doubled to right-center to bring in
Taylor Nuckolls, who had singled prior, and give the Lions a 2-1 lead.
The Lions began to dominate in the fourth inning.
Madison Grimes got her first RBI of the season with a single while bases were loaded to bring in
Peyton Hawkins.
Adrianna Young then doubled to right field, scoring
Carsen Tinkler.
Yazmin Vargas layed down a perfect bunt towards third base to single and bring in
Madison Grimes.
Taylor Nuckolls then had a huge triple into center field that drove in Vargas and Young.
Emily Perry was the last Lion to get an RBI in the fourth inning with a single to right-center, driving in Nuckolls, as the Lions to a commanding 8-1 lead.
The Lions defense held the Bulldogs off since the first inning, not allowing them to score since the wild pitch. A bases loaded walk gave the Lions one more run as they went on to run-rule the Bulldogs in six innings in their first game of the season, 9-1.
Kiki Pickens got the win on the mound for the Lions as she pitched all six innings, allowing only two hits and one earned run while getting six strikeouts on a 1.17 ERA.
Missouri Southern vs. Arkansas-Monticello
W, 8-0 /6 inn.
The Lions began game two of the day with a great first inning, scoring two runs off a triple by
Taylor Nuckolls to take a 2-0 lead. Neither team were able to add to the score until the Lions established their presence in the top of the sixth.Â
The sixth inning began with another RBI for
Taylor Nuckolls as she doubled to center field to bring in
Yazmin Vargas.
Emily Perry then had the Lions first homerun of the season as she sent the ball over the left field fence and brought in Nuckolls and herself.
Katie Gray added on to the huge sixth inning with a single to center field that drove in
Kylee Jacks, who had singled to center just a batter before.
Peyton Hawkins was able to score on a passed ball after reaching third on two wild pitches. After a double by
Abby DeSanto to left-center field,
Kathryn Flowers hit a single to drive DeSanto in to give the Lions a 8-0 lead after six innings.
The Lions defense posted a shutout as they got their second run-rule victory on the day, defeating Arkansas-Monticello 8-0.
Avery Tallman started the game and was credited the win after throwing 3.2 innings and only giving up two hits while striking out two batters. Tallman and reliever
Natalie Bates combined for the shutout victory, only allowing three hits in the game off of 23 Blossom at-bats.
Up Next
The Missouri Southern Softball team will travel to Arkadelphia, Arkansas to take on Henderson State (10:00 AM) and Ouachita Baptist (5:45 PM) on Saturday, February 3, at Dee White Field.
