Edmond, Okla. - The number nine seeded Missouri Southern Lions began the 2024 MIAA Softball Championship against number eight seeded Central Missouri in round one of the single-elimination tournament. After the Jennies took the lead early, back-to-back RBI base hits in the fifth was enough to take round one, 3-2. The Lions advance to 33-21 on the season and will take on number one seeded Rogers State on Thursday, May 2.
Missouri Southern vs. Central Missouri - MIAA Softball Championship (Round One)
W, 3-2
After not being able to reach base in the top half of the first, a strikeout from
Kara Amos and a moving catch from
Adrianna Young held a Jennie on third base to end the first inning scoreless. The Lions reached base in the top of the second with a hit-by-pitch, but could not bring her around before an athletic catch by a Jennie outfielder recorded the third out. The Lions defense looked in stride early as the Jennies went down in order to keep the game scoreless after two innings of play.
Abby DeSanto got the third inning started with reaching second base on an error with no outs. After
Adrianna Young layed down a sacrifice bunt to advance DeSanto to third, a wild pitch scored DeSanto and gave the Lions a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the third. The Lions held onto the one run lead after holding a Jennie on base to close the third inning, 1-0.Â
The Lions were unable to get on base in the top of the fourth as
Kiki Pickens stepped into the circle for the first time in 18 days to relieve Amos in the bottom half of the inning after the Jennies led off with a triple. A couple walks and a single was enough to score two for the Jennies as they took the lead going into the fifth, 2-1.
Abby DeSanto launched a ball into the left-center gap and scored
Carsen Tinkler, who reached on error, for an RBI double and to tie the ball game at 2-2 with two outs.
Kylee Jacks followed with an RBI single of her own to drive in DeSanto and give the Lions the lead going into the bottom of the fifth, 3-2. The Lions defense retired the order to maintain the lead heading into the sixth.
After picking up two outs, a
Carsen Tinkler single and a
Kate Thurman walk were both left on base before a groundout kept the lead where it was going into the Jennies half of the sixth. The Lions defense closed the sixth inning with only allowing one Jennie single and steal to hold a 3-2 lead going into the final inning of regulation.
Adrianna Young led off the seventh with a hit-by-pitch, but the Lions recorded three consecutive outs to strand a runner and head into the bottom half. A flyout, a groundout and a strikeout was all the Lions needed to take round one over the Jennies, 3-2.
Kiki Pickens (11-7) picked up the win for the Lions and pitched the final 4.0 innings and gave up two hits and one run while striking out four of the 16 batters she faced in the huge win.
Up Next
The Missouri Southern Softball team advance to the MIAA Tournament quarterfinals where they will take on number one seeded Rogers State on Thursday, May 2 at 11:00 AM in Edmond, Oklahoma.
