St. Joseph, Mo. - Softball began their final back-to-back doubleheader on the road at Missouri Western for a conference doubleheader against the Griffons. It was two late comebacks that favored each team in different games as the Lions split the series with Missouri Western. The Lions advance to 30-17 (10-10 MIAA) on the season.
Missouri Southern vs. Missouri Western - Game One
L, 7-5
The Griffons were the first to get on the scoreboard with two runs in the bottom half of the first inning. The Lions were able to get on base from a walk in the top of the second, but could score the runner before the Griffons recorded three outs and added another two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-0 lead. The Lions began to find an offensive rhythm in the top of the third inning with three consecutive RBI base hits from
Taylor Nuckolls,
Kara Amos and
Katie Gray.
Hannah Duin hit the fourth RBI of the inning with an RBI single to tie the game at 4-4. After the Griffons took the lead back with a run to end the third,
Kara Amos returned with her second consecutive RBI single to drive in
Yazmin Vargas and tie the game at 5-5. The game continued to go back-and-forth as the Griffons took the lead back to end the fifth inning with two runs to take a 7-5 lead over the Lions. Neither team could bring in another run as the Griffons came out of game one with a 7-5 win over the Lions.
Missouri Southern vs. Missouri Western - Game Two
W, 7-1
Taylor Nuckolls got things started in game two with an RBI off a groundout that scored
Kylee Jacks, who singled prior, to give the Lions a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The Griffons tied things up with a run in the bottom half of the first inning.
Kylee Jacks put the Lions back on top in the top of the fifth with an RBI triple that drove in
Kate Thurman, who reached on fielder's choice prior, to give the Lions the 2-1 lead. Both teams could not reach home until the seventh inning. The Lions put up a huge seventh inning with five runs off a two-RBI single from
Maddie Rolfs, another two-RBI single from
Reese Davis and an RBI sacrifice-fly from
Katie Gray to put the Lions up 7-1 with three outs to go. The Lions were able to keep two Griffons on base from scoring as the Lions came out on top in game two, 7-1.
Kara Amos (8-2) picked up the win for the Lions and pitched a complete 7.0 innings and gave up three hits and one run while striking out two of the 28 batters she faced in the win.
Up Next
The Missouri Southern Softball team will compete in their final road doubleheader of the regular season at Northwest Missouri on Saturday, April 20, at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM.
