Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Softball team continued MIAA conference play at home against the Jennies of Central Missouri on Sunday, March 10 in a doubleheader. The Lions followed a tight 2-1 loss in game one with a 8-0 run rule victory in game two over the Jennies. The Lions advance to 19-6 (3-1 MIAA) on the season.

Missouri Southern vs. Central Missouri - Game One
L, 2-1

The Lions struck first with an RBI double from Katie Gray to drive in Kara Amos and give the Lions the 1-0 lead after two innings of play. The Lions defense held strong through the first four innings of play until the Jennies were able to get two runs across home in the top of the fifth to take the lead from the Lions, 2-1. As the game remained at 2-1 going into the seventh, the Lions defensively held the Jennies at two, but could not get anyone home offensively as Jennies won game one, 2-1.

Kiki Pickens (6-4) picked up the loss for the Lions and pitched 4.0 innings and gave up 2 hits and two earned runs while striking out one of the 14 batters she faced.

Missouri Southern vs. Central Missouri - Game Two
W, 8–0 /6 inn.

Yazmin Vargas was walked in the bottom of the first which set her up for her 108th career stolen base which broke the Missouri Southern all-time stolen base record. Taylor Nuckolls drove Vargas in with an RBI single to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. The Jennies loaded up the bases with one out as Kara Amos stepped in the circle for her second relief of the day and got a flyout and strikeout to maintain the lead. Kylee Jacks drove in two runs in the second inning to increase the Lions lead to 3-0. Madison Grimes kept things rolling with a triple down the right field line to drive in two more runs in the third inning. The Lions defense continued to shut out the Jennies as Yazmin Vargas hit an RBI double followed by a Taylor Nuckolls sacrifice fly to drive in Vargas to give the Lions a 7-0 lead after four innings. The Jennies could not score a run up into the sixth inning as a Abby DeSanto sacrifice fly drove in Yazmin Vargas for the walk-off run rule in the sixth inning, 8-0.

Kara Amos (4-1) picked up the win for the Lions and pitched 4.2 innings and gave up one hit and zero earned runs while striking out one of the 16 batters that she faced. 

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The Missouri Southern Softball team will host the Teri Mathis-Zenner MIAA/NSIC Crossover Tournament on March 14-17 with the Lions opening the tournament in a doubleheader against Augustana University (SD) at 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Read Full Article