MSSU softball sweeps Central Missouri for first time since 2000

(From Missouri Southern Sports)

Warrensburg, Mo. - The Missouri Southern softball program sweep Central Missouri in Warrensburg for the first time since 2000, winning 3-2 in eight innings for game one and 10-5 in game two from the South Recreation Complex in Warrensburg on Friday.

The Lions 16-5, 2-0 MIAA) had to wait until the sixth inning in the first game to get on the scoreboard as a Josie Tofpi sacrifice fly to right field scored Adrianna Young and made it a 1-1 game after Central Missouri (12-7, 0-2 MIAA) scored in the first inning. 

Southern would load the bases in the seventh but couldn't get a run across and in the bottom half the Jennies could ony get a runner to second with back-to-back swinging strikeouts issued by Avery Tallman to send the game into extras.

In the eighth inning back-to-back errors by the Jennies set up a bases loaded one out situation for Kara Amos who singled up the middle to score Peyton Hawkins and Josie Tofpi for a 3-1 lead. In the bottom half UCM homerd to get one back but a lineout to Tofpi at shortstop gave the Lions a 3-2 extra inning win.

For the game that lasted three hours Avery Tallman pitched 121 pitches with only one walk given up and four strikeouts issued, Amos went 2-for-3 with two RBIs with Yazmin Vargas also going 2-for-3 in the game and stealing a base.

Game two would see more offense as the second inning had the Lions scoring two runs thanks to a wild pitch and Vargas single to left field scoring Grace Parrott for the early 2-0 lead. In the third inning Ashlynn Williams hit her third home run of the season to make it a 3-0 lead.

UCM would get on the scoreboard in the fourth inning but in the fifth the Lions added six runs with an Abby DeSanto sacrifice fly scoring Peyton Hawkins, Kate Thurman homer her first in her career scoring three, a Vargas single to left field scoring Young and a Katie Gray pinch hitting walk in run to score Emily Perry. The Jennies would hit a three run homer in the fifth as an Amos homer in the top of the sixth for made it 10-4 and an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth for UCM made it 10-5 for the final score.

Amos and Thurman hit their first home runs of the season with Thurman picking up three RBIs and Amos picking up one RBI while scoring three times. Perry and Vargas at the top of the lineup both went 3-for-5 with Vargas collecting two RBIs. Natalie Bates picked up her second win of the season with 4.0 inning and five strikeouts, Amos threw 2.0 innings of relief with Bailey Lacy throwing the last inning to finish off the game.

Up next for the Lions is a road double header against Lincoln on Sunday from Vogel Field in Jefferson City, Mo. with first pitch set for 2:00pm and 4:00pm approximately.

MSSU women advance to regional semis after dramatic comeback

(From Missouri Southern Sports)

Duluth, Minn. - The 18th ranked Missouri Southern Lions overcame a 12 point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Augustana 75-74 on Friday to advance to the Central Region Semifinals inside Romano Gymnasium.

The Lions (28-6, 16-6 MIAA) were led by Lacy Stokes with a program regional record 28 points while adding three rebounds and three assists.

 Amaya Johns had a 17 point and 11 rebound double-double, the fifth double-double in program history at a regional tournament and the fourth most rebounds in a single game. Layne Skiles scored 12 points going 4-for-8 from three to move into second in career three pointers made while grabbing seven rebounds with three assists and three steals. Kaitlin Hunnicutt had 10 points and Madi Stokes had eight rebounds.

Augustana (25-6, 18-4 NSIC) was led by Michaela Jewett with 27 points and seven rebounds.

In the first quarter the Vikings got out to a 7-3 lead early but a Johns three and Lacy Stokes jumper made it an 8-7 lead with 6:30 left. Augustana would reclaim the lead and go on an 11-4 run to make it 18-12 with 2:46 left, Southern would respond in the last two minutes with layups from Lacy and Madi Stokes with a Hailey Grant steal and score to make it an 18-18 tie at the end of the quarter.

The second quarter would see six lead changes and four ties in the first five minutes before the Vikings opened up a three point lead, 32-29 following a Jewett free throw with 5:01 left. Southern would tie it up 37-37 with 2:13 remaining in the half thanks to a Topping layup before Augustana made a layup and converted a free throw to take a 40-37 lead going into the half.

For the first half the two teams exchanged 12 lead changes and tied it up seven times with neither team able to hold a lead larger than six over the other. Southern shot 37.5 percent from the field and 100.0 percent from free throws going 4-for-4 while the Vikings shot 44.4 percent from the field and 100.0 percent from free throws going 4-for-4.

Individually Lacy Stokes had 12 points and three assists, Amaya Johns had nine points and six rebounds and Layne Skiles had six points in the half. As a team the Lions had a halftime advantage over the Vikings in points in the paint 22-20, second chance points 12-4 and bench points 13-0.

In the second half Augustana got out to a quick eight point lead, 45-37 with 9:05 left as the Lions got on the scoreboard with 8:24 left following a Lacy free throw and on the next possession a Hunnicutt three made it 45-41 with 7:36 remaining. Augustana got it up to 11, 58-47 with 2:53 left thanks to an Aislinn Duffy layup and would head to the fourth quarter up 59-50.

The fourth quarter would see the Vikings get a 12 point lead, 64-52 with 8:27 left for the largest lead of the game. Southern would begin the historic comeback with a Skiles three with 7:31 left before a Lacy Stokes layup and pair of free throws made it a seven point game 66-59 with 6:30 left.

With 4:02 left the Lions got it to a one possession game following a Lacy Stokes layup and a Hunnicutt three with 2:55 remaining made it a two point game, 70-68. Free throws by Johns and Lacy Stokes made it a two point game as a driving layup and-one by Lacy gave the Lions the lead 73-72 with 29.2 seconds left.

Following an Augustana timeout to advance the ball the Vikings made a layup with 15.3 second left to take a one point lead. The Lions would get a chance with 5.0 seconds left as Hunnicutt was fouled driving to the basket and made both of her free throws to take a 75-74 lead. Augustana called a timeout to advance the ball into the half court but after inbounding the ball tried to get it into the post but an alert Skiles jumped up and stole the entry pass to seal the dramatic victory.

This was the first regional tournament win for the program since beating Angelo State 75-72 in overtime on Mar. 11, 1994 in St. Joseph, Mo. With the win the Lions this season now have won the most games in a single-season with 28 beating the previous record set in the 1992-93 season that went 27-4.

Southern will play the winner of the Nebraska - Kearney vs. Pittsburg State matchup on Saturday Mar. 11th at 5:00pm from Romano Gymnasium in the Central Region Semifinals.

Career Stat Update

Layne Skiles - Passed Terri Haynes (1989-91) for second in made three pointers with 182.

Singles-Season Stat Update
Lacy Stokes - Moved past her total for assists last season for the second most assists with 175. Passed Pam Brisby (1980-81) and Anita Rank (86-87) for seventh in scoring with 576. Has made the 10th most field goals in a season to move past her total last year with 207.

Madi Stokes - Passed Anita Rank (1985-86) for sixth in rebounds with 294.

Regional Tournament Stat Update

Lacy Stokes - Broke the single-game regional tournament scoring record that was held by Rolanda Gladen vs. Washburn on Mar. 13, 1993 and Sonya Harlin vs. Angelo State on Mar. 11, 1994 with 28 points today.

Amaya Johns - Became the fifth Lion in program history to have a double-double in a regional tournament game and first since Marie Scott vs. West Texas A&M on Mar. 8, 1996.

MSSU softball to open MIAA play against Central Missouri

(From Missouri Southern Sports)

The Missouri Southern softball program is set to begin MIAA play against Central Missouri and Lincoln this weekend.

The Lions (14-5) will begin the weekend with the Jennies (12-5) at the South Recreation Complex at 2:00pm and 4:00pm on Friday in Warrensburg, Mo. before wrapping up the weekend in Jefferson City on Sunday at 2:00pm and 4:00pm at Vogel Field against Lincoln (3-11). The double header against the Blue Tigers were originally scheduled for Saturday but due to rain accumulation at Vogel field it has been pushed back a day.

As a team Southern is hitting .315 with 32 doubles and 22 home runs while averaging 8.7 hits and 6.9 runs per game, as a pitching staff has a 3.24 ERA with opponents hitting .266 against them and 5.0 strikeouts per game. Individually the Lions have five hitters that meet the requirements of two plate appearances a game and playing in 75% of total games this season with Leighton Withers leading the way with a .517 average, 31 hits, seven home runs, 30 RBIs with a .983 slugging percentage and .605 on-base percentage. Emily Perry is hitting .392 with 20 hits, 18 runs scored, five doubles, two home runs, 11 RBIs for a .608 slugging and .492 on-base percentage. Abby DeSanto is hitting .314 with three home runs for 14 RBIs, to slug .600 with a .442 on-base percentage, Ashlynn Williams is hitting .313 with 20 hits, 12 runs scored, six doubles, two home runs, 12 RBIs while slugging .500. Kate Thurman rounds out the hitters meeting requirements batting .308 with 12 hits and 12 RBIs. Yazmin Vargas is hitting .471 with 19 runs scored from 16 hits, seven walks, and is 14-for-14 in stolen bases.

In the circle Avery Tallman is 9-1 with a 1.80 ERA from 12 appearances for 54.1 innings, 33 strikeouts and opponents hitting .228 against her. Bailey Lacy is 3-0 with a 3.84 ERA in 11 appearances with 27.1 innings, 21 strikeouts and opponents hitting .271 against her. Natalie Bates is 1-2 with a 4.09 ERA in eight appearances with 25.2 innings and has struck out 26 with only nine walks issued. Kara Amos is 1-2 in nine appearances with 18.0 innings, 15 strikeouts and opponents hitting .296 against her.

UCM as a team is hitting .307 with 23 doubles and eight home runs while averaging 8.4 hits and 5.9 runs per game, as a pitching staff has a 2.86 ERA with opponents hitting .246 against them and throwing 6.2 strikeouts per game. Individually the Jennies have five hitters that meet the requirements of two plate appearances a game and playing in 75% of total games this season with Makenzie McAtee leading the way with a .419 average, 14 runs scored, 18 hits, Abbey Fischer is hitting .382 with 16 runs from 21 hits, four triples, Abby Allnutt is hitting .364 with 12 hits, Ashlyn Cook is hitting .360 with 11 runs, 18 hits, six doubles, 17 RBIs and is 5-for-6 for stolen bases, MaKenzie Cooper is hitting .346 with nine hits. Lexi Blackmon is hitting .265 and is 10-for-14 for stolen bases.

In the circle Paige Petefish has a 3-1 record from seven appearances with a 3.21 ERA in 32.2 innings for 37 strikeouts and only three walks with hitters averaging .242 against her. Andi Siebeneck is 3-2 with a 1.86 ERA in seven appearances 26.1 innings for 27 strikeouts to only three walks and opponents hitting .210 against her. Kaylee Diggs is 3-1 with a 2.17 ERA in six appearances for 19.1 innings and nine strikeouts with opponents hitting .240 against her.

The Blue Tigers as a team are hitting .232 with 11 doubles and three home runs while averaging 5.7 hits and 2.7 runs per game, as a pitching staff they have a 6.75 ERA with opponents hitting .311 against them and throwing 2.9 strikeouts per game. 

Individually Lincoln has four hitters that meet the requirements of two plate appearances a game and playing in 75% of total games this season with Leah Wagner leading the way with a .333 average from nine hits with five RBIs, Emma Rakes is hitting .321 with nine hits, Qwynn Marques is hitting .321 with nine hits and Leslie Callahan is hitting .303 with 10 hits and a home runs while swiping six bags.

In the circle Ashton Stalling has a 8.14 ERA and 1-4 record from six appearances for 26.2 innings and 10 strikeouts to 15 walks. Jordan Galliher has a 3.16 ERA and 1-2 record from four appearances for 24.1 innings and 13 strikeouts with opponents hitting .227 against her. Joss Marriott has a 8.17 ERA and 1-1 record from five appearances for 18.0 innings with nine strikeouts and 12 walks.