JOPLIN, Mo. – A reshuffled lineup came up big early in the game for the Missouri S&T softball team Friday night as it knocked off host Missouri Southern 6-4 to end up with a split of its two games at the Teri Zenner Memorial Classic.

 

The new batting order – which had Emily Tucker (St. Louis, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy) leading off for the first time in her Lady Miner career – came on the heels of a 1-0 loss earlier in the day to Fort Hays State as Tiger hurler Kayla Rupp threw a no-hitter at S&T.

 

S&T put three runs on the board in the opening inning, then tacked on three more in the third to give pitcher Ashley Wallingford (Kahoka, Mo./Clark County ) a 6-1 lead.

 

In the first, Becky Davis (Blue Springs, Mo./Archbishop O'Hara HS) reached on an error, then a hit by Rachelle Rhodes (Beggs, Okla./) and a double by Kassi Deibert (Highland, Ill./Highland) put S&T in front. Kristen Drage (Morganfield, Ky./Union County ) followed with an RBI single to score Rhodes, then Maggie Schroeder (Bonner Springs, Kan./Basehor-Linwood) hit a sacrifice fly to give the Lady Miners a three-run lead.

 

After the Lady Lions scored in the second, S&T went back on the offensive in the third as Davis opened the frame with a hit and Rhodes followed with a double. After Deibert was retired, Drage doubled down the line in right to score both runners and then scored herself later in the inning when Katie Smith (Shawnee, Kan./Shawnee Mission Northwest) reached on an error with two outs.

 

Missouri Southern was able to get two runs back in the third and another in the fifth off Wallingford to cut the lead to 6-4.   Jen O'Hara (Chardon, Ohio/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin) entered the game in the sixth and retired the Lady Lions in order and pitched around a one-out walk in the seventh to preserve the win.

 

Drage had two hits and three runs batted in for S&T in the win, while Rhodes had a two-hit game as well.

 

In the Fort Hays State contest, the Tigers got the only run of the game in the sixth inning when Rachel Gemmill drew a bases loaded walk.

 

S&T had only three runners reach base, two coming on walks in the fifth and the other when Tucker reached on an error to start the seventh.

 

O'Hara allowed only four hits in her seven innings of work and struck out two.

 

The Lady Miners (4-6) will play three games tomorrow to wrap up play in the event, starting with an 11 a.m. game against Washburn. S&T will also face Northwest Missouri State and Pittsburg State later in the day.