Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Softball team split a pair of MIAA games with Southwest Baptist that were shortened due to weather at the Pat Lipira Softball Complex Tuesday afternoon.
In the opening game of the double header the Lions and Southwest Baptist were scoreless until the top of the fifth when the Bearcats broke the scoreless tie with a RBI single to left field by Lauren Strobel. Southern took the lead in the home half of the sixth that started with a back-to-back singles by senior Sarah Morrison and junior Abi Corbett. After a fly ball out to left field, sophomore Angel Badalamenti sacrificed Morrison and Corbett up a base each to put runners on second and third with two outs. Junior Myranda Stewart came in clutch with the two out single into left that scored both runners and gave the Lions the 2-1 lead.
Southwest Baptist scored a pair of runs in the top half of the seventh to retake the lead at 3-2 before sophomore Kylie Wesbrooks sent a two out rise ball over the left field fence for her first home run of the season and force the third straight extra inning affair for the Lions.
In the eighth sophomore Taurean Guzman came in relief of senior Sydney Koch and eventually loaded the bases with two outs before educing a pop up to Wesbrooks to get out of the jam with no harm done. In the home half of the eighth, Corbett led off with an infield single to third base. Freshman Elizabeth Windsor sacrificed Corbett to third before Badalamenti reached on a fielder's choice that moved Corbett to third. With runners on the corners and no outs Stewart drew the intentional walk to load the bases. After swinging at two pitches in the dirt junior Shelby Friend hit an 0-2 pitch off the handle of the bat and the ball just eluded the SBU shortstop to score Corbett and give Southern the third straight extra inning win.
Koch pitched seven innings allowing three runs, all earned, on nine hits with three walks and six strike outs. Guzman pitched one inning in relief to get the win allowing just one SBU hit and walked two.
Game two stated just like game one with no score through the first three innings until the Bearcats struck for three runs in the top of the fourth for the early 3-0 lead. Stewart led off the home half of the inning with a towering shot to left field to make it 3-1. After a scoreless fifth the game was halted at 5:40 pm in the top of the sixth with a 2-2 count and a pair of outs. After almost a hour weather delay the game was called and the Bearcats came away with the 3-1 five inning victory.
Guzman suffered the loss in game two going four innings allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits with a walk and three strike outs. Koch pitched one official inning in relief holding the Bearcats hitless and struck out two.
Southern will be back in action this weekend as they host the top two MIAA teams in Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri. First pitch on Friday against Missouri Western at the Pat Lipira Softball Complex is scheduled for 4 p.m.
No comments:
Post a Comment