Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (Joplin, Mo.) – The Missouri S&T Lady Miners split a pair of games on Saturday nearly rallying from a six run deficit in the seventh inning in a 9-8 loss to Northwest Missouri State before defeating Fort Hays State 8-3 on day two of the MSSU/PSU Border Battle held in Joplin, Mo.

In the opener against Northwest Missouri (4-6), the Lady Miners (2-1) got out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning of play. After the first two were retired Kristen Drage and Kate Runyan hit back-to-back singles then Coley Naughton brought them home hitting a three-run homer to center field.

The lead would be short lived though as the Bearcats answered back with six runs of their own in the top of the second. After a couple of scoreless innings NWMSU added single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh to stretch its lead to 9-3.

Down to their final three outs in the home half of the seventh S&T began to rally back. It started when Maggie Schroeder singled to center, then Drage hit her first home run of the season to center field to make it 9-5. Runyan started the rally again with her second single of the game. After a sacrifice bunt by Naughton moved Runyan to second, Becky Davis reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. With two on and one out freshman Kaylea Smith hit her first college home run off the top of the center field wall to pull the Lady Miners within 9-8.

Lauren Briggs kept the rally going with a single. After a fielder's choice retired Briggs at second, Jamie Hatlan singled down the left field line putting the tying run in scoring position. Schroeder had a chance to win the game but just missed a pitch flying out to center ending the contest.

S&T finished the contest with 15 hits led by Drage with three. Runyan, Naughton, Smith and Briggs had two apiece.

Ashley Wallingford suffered the loss allowing eight runs on 12 hits while walking three and striking out three in six innings of work to see her record fall to 1-1.

In game two against Fort Hays State (3-4), S&T again took the early lead with a run in the first inning on a bases loaded single back up the middle by Runyan. The Lady Miners had an opportunity for more but were unable to come through with another hit.

The Tigers took the lead in the top of the third on a two-run homer to left field by Maddie Holub. S&T regained the lead with two in the bottom of the third thanks to a couple of FHSU errors.

The Lady Miners blew it wide open in the fourth inning with a pair of home runs. Briggs got it started with a solo blast to right for her first career home run making it 4-2. After a single by Drage and back-to-back hit by pitches to Naughton and Davis, Kassi Deibert unloaded a grand slam to center field extending the lead to 8-2.

That was all the support that freshman Taylor Keal needed as she held the Tiger bats in check the rest of the way allowing only an unearned run in the seventh inning to pick up her first college win.

Keal tossed a complete game allowing all three runs, two earned, on five hits, allowed two walks but did strike out a batter.

The Lady Miner offense recorded their third straight game of double figure hits with 10. Briggs and Drage combined for seven of the hits in the contest.

S&T concludes play in the MSSU/PSU Border Battle on Sunday morning taking on Washburn University at 9 a.m., followed immediately by a game against Nebraska-Omaha at 11 a.m.