Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (Rolla, Mo.) – The Missouri S&T Lady Miners used a pair of big innings in both games of its doubleheader to defeat Southern Indiana 5-1 and 7-1 on Sunday afternoon at the S&T Softball Field. The Lady Miners scored four times in the fifth inning of game one to break open a 1-0 game then used a five run sixth inning in the second game to pull away from the Screaming Eagles.

In the opener S&T (8-13, 3-5 GLVC) used some ball to jump on top with a run in the opening inning. Emily Tucker (St. Louis, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy) got her big day started with a single to left then stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Becky Davis (Blue Springs, Mo./Archbishop O'Hara HS). After a groundout to first the Lady Miners drew back-to-back walks loading the bases then Kassi Deibert (Highland, Ill./Highland) received a four pitch walk to bring home Tucker.

USI (8-22, 0-4 GLVC) threatened in the second inning putting two on after the first two were retired and had a chance to tie the game on a single to right but Krista Porterfield (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) threw in a perfect relay throw to Kristen Drage (Morganfield, Ky./Union County ) who then fired home to Coley Naughton (Alton, Ill./Alton) to cut down the runner. For Southern Indiana it would be a theme for the day as it stranded a total of 21 runners in the doubleheader.

The Screaming Eagles continued to put pressure on in the third and fourth innings loading the bases in each frame but both times Jen O'Hara was able to work out of danger to keep the game 1-0. The Lady Miners broke the game open in the fifth inning loading the bases with one out then got back-to-back two run doubles from Naughton and Deibert to extend their lead to 5-0.

USI countered in the sixth once again loading the bases with one out and O'Hara almost got out of another jam when Tucker tried to nail another runner at the plate but Naughton was unable to hold onto the throw to complete the back end of the double play allowing Dani Finkelstein to score. The Screaming Eagles were retired in order in the seventh allowing O'Hara to pick up her second victory of the weekend.

O'Hara tossed her second straight complete game allowing just the unearned run on nine hits while walking four and punching out two. Tucker and Deibert paced the offense with two hits apiece while Deibert finished with three RBIs and Naughton had the other two.

In the second game S&T again dodged a bullet in the opening inning as USI got two on with two out but Ashley Wallingford (Kahoka, Mo./Clark County ) was able to get a very dangerous Sara Loete to ground out to third ending the inning. The Lady Miners took advantage in the home half as Tucker doubled to right center then moved to third on Rhodes's base hit and scored on Drage's sacrifice fly to left.

S&T had a chance to extend the lead in the second getting a pair of runners on with two out singles but Tucker lined out to right ending the inning. Southern Indiana had a chance to score in the third but Wallingford was able to bear down in the third getting a couple of groundouts to get out of the jam.

The Screaming Eagles tied the game in the fourth on a two out RBI single back up the middle from Lindsay Raikes but Wallingford was able to keep the game tied getting a grounder back to her ending the inning. In the fifth USI had runners on the corner with one out and poised to take the lead but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat.

In the home half of the fifth the Lady Miners regained the lead on what proved to be the game winning run on Tucker's first home run of the season to left field for a 2-1 lead. Then in the sixth inning Lauren Briggs (LaMonte, Mo./Knob Noster) drove in a run with an RBI single to make it 3-1. After an Allison Plummer (Olathe, Kan./Marantha Academy) single to shortstop loaded the bases Tucker cleared them with a line drive grand slam to left field for her second of the day. It was the first time a Lady Miner had hit two home runs in a game since last April 26 when Tucker did it against Indianapolis.

Wallingford tossed a complete game allowing the run on eight hits with seven strikeouts and only two walks evening her record at 4-4. Tucker finished the day 5-for-7 at the plate with five runs scored, five RBIs, three extra base hits, the two homers and two stolen bases to lead the offense. She and Plummer had five of the team's nine hits in game two.

S&T will take a break from conference action this week traveling up to St. Joseph, Mo., to take on former MIAA rival Missouri Western on Tuesday afternoon beginning at 4 p.m.