MSSU softball sweeps doubleheader from Sioux Falls

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern softball team closed this week's action with a sweep of the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Cougars by taking the first game 4-1 and following up with a 6-4 comeback victory in game two inside Pat Lipira Softball Complex Monday night.

Game One
Scoreless through two, the Lions (5-4) earned the first run on the board from back-to-back-to-back singles by Elizabeth Windsor, Josie Tofpi, and Erika Lutgen, which allowed Windsor to come home from second on Lutgens single into left field. Junior Makaila Leonhart added to it, ripping one down the left-field line to score Tofpi for a 2-0 lead to close out the third.

USF (5-4) got one back in the top of the fourth, but two innings later freshman Tori Frazier singled to right field to knock in Sidnie Hurst while the Lions tacked on another one later in the inning to push the lead to three toward a 4-1 game-one victory.

Freshman Meredith Iden got the win in her first in the circle for the Lions. She allowed one run on five hits while striking out two in four innings pitched as part of her first start of the season.

Game Two

MSSU recorded the first run again as Tofpi singled up the middle to score Leonhart to take a 1-0 lead. The lead lasted into the fifth as the Cougars sent three runners home on two singles and a walk to go up 3-1 heading into the fifth.

Senior Lexi Ferrari smashed one over the center field fence to get the Lions within one, but the Cougars responded with a run in the top of the sixth to lead 4-2 entering the bottom half of the inning.

Hurst singled to lead off the inning which brought Lutgen to the plate as the tying run. Lutgen got a hold of one after a couple pitches and sent it out of the park to deep left field and knot the game up at 4-4. Tofpi singled in the go-ahead run to put the Lions in front 5-4 while Ashley Caldarella doubled to right center to score Tofpi and go up one more (6-4).

Pitcher Abby Atkin struck out the Cougars lineup 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to complete the sweep and end the night one game over .500.

Next Up

Southern hosts its annual Teri Mathis-Zenner Memorial Tournament beginning on Friday, Mar. 1 against Rockhurst at 2:00 pm out at the four-plex of fields inside the Bassman Softball Complex on 3301 West First Street. Check back at mssulions.com for more tournament updates.