ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Missouri S&T Lady Miner softball team dropped its 2015 season opener 6-3 to Saginaw Valley State on Friday evening at the Midwest Region Dome Invitational at the Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont, Ill. In the nightcap the Lady Miners fell to Upper Iowa 12-1 in five innings.

The Cardinals (1-1) struck first with a pair of runs in the opening inning. Shelby Weeks was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, stole second and scored on Abby Stoner's triple to right field. After a groundout, Stoner scored on a passed ball.

Saginaw Valley added to its lead in the third. Once again it was Weeks and Stoner doing the damage as Weeks led off with a single to center and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Stoner drove in her second run of the game with a ground-rule double to center field.

S&T (0-1) got one of those runs back in the home half of the fourth. Shelby Michaelis (Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf) led off with a double to right center and scored on Savannah Fedorchak (Oakville, Mo./Oakville)'s single.

The Cardinals pushed its lead back to three runs in the top of the fifth. DeAnna Stickler-Gatson started off the inning with a double to left, advanced to third on a fly out to right by Weeks and scored on Mackenzie Rousse's sacrifice fly.

The Lady Miners cut the lead to a run in the bottom of the frame. Monica Weiss (St. Louis, Mo./Marquette ) singled to third base and with one out Andi Davis (Blue Springs, Mo./Archbishop O'Hara ) hit a two-run inside the park home run. Kyra Slemp (Roeland Park, Kan./Shawnee Mission East) tried to keep the rally going following with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. She was left stranded there though as Michaelis struck out and Baker grounded out to end the inning.

S&T had another chance to tie the game in the sixth as Fedorchak reached on an error to start the inning. With one out Lori Badalamenti (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland ) singled to put runners on first and second. The rally fizzled though as Weiss struck out swinging and Badalamenti was picked off at first.

Saginaw Valley added to its lead in the top of the seventh. With one out Stickler was hit by a pitch and stole second. Weeks drove her in with a double to left, went to third on an illegal pitch and scored on a throwing error by Cailey Baker (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield) on a failed pickoff attempt.

The Lady Miners brought the tying run to the plate in the home half of the inning. Back-to-back singles by Davis and Slemp and a wild pitch put two in scoring position with one out. S&T couldn't get the big hit though as Michaelis struck out and Baker grounded out to end the game.

The Lady Miners outhit the Cardinals 10-8 and were led offensively by Slemp with three hits while Davis had two. Kati Viets (Sweet Springs, Mo./Sweet Springs) suffered the loss allowing six runs, four earned, on eight hits while striking out three and walking one.

Against Upper Iowa in game two, the Peacocks took advantage of an S&T error in the top of the first which led to three runs. Whitney Williams had the big blow in the frame with a two-run double to left center.

The Lady Miners got one of those runs back in the home half of the inning. Davis and Michaelis led off the game with back-to-back singles. With two outs Miranda Thompson (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) singled to left center scoring Davis and an error by the center fielder allowed Michaelis and Thompson to move to second and third. Weiss struck out to end the inning.

Upper Iowa broke the game open with six runs in the second taking advantage of three S&T errors. Jacqueline Flood and Erica Kirgan each had two run singles in the frame. Flood led off the third inning with a home run to left center and then the Peacocks added two more in the fourth.

The Lady Miners finished the game with five hits led by Davis with two. Bethany Rader (Memphis, Mo./Scotland County ) got the start allowing seven runs, three earned, on seven hits in an inning of work.

S&T is back in action on Saturday when it takes on Kentucky Wesleyan at 11 a.m. and the University of Findlay at 3:30 p.m.