ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Missouri S&T Lady Miners got a pair of two home runs to win the opener of its doubleheader at Maryville 5-4 on Sunday afternoon. Maryville rallied from late deficit to take the nightcap 6-4 at Maryville Field in St. Louis. S&T banged out 18 hits in the doubleheader led by Shelby Michaelis (Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf) with five while Kyra Slemp (Roeland Park, Kan./Shawnee Mission East) and Savannah Fedorchak (Oakville, Mo./Oakville) had three each.

The Saints (12-25, 8-14 GLVC) broke in front in the opener with a run in the bottom of the third. With two outs and runners at first second Danielle Williams blooped a ball into left field that fell just in front of a hard charging Lori Badalamenti (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland ) scoring Darby Ferguson from second. Becca Strope (Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville) was able to minimize the damage as she got Wendy Macias to ground out to third to end the inning.

S&T (6-25, 3-18) answered back in the fourth inning. Slemp led off the inning with a single and then stole second. After a pop out and groundout Fedorchak hit her first home run of the year over the fence in right center to put the Lady Miners in front 2-1.

S&T added to its lead in the fifth as Olivia Culbertson (Nevada, Mo./Nevada) led off the inning with a double down the left field line and would go to third on a wild pitch. Kelly Heckemeyer (St. Elizabeth, Mo./St. Elizabeth) came off the bench to pinch hit and delivered a single to left to score Culbertson to make it 3-1. Andi Davis (Blue Springs, Mo./Archbishop O'Hara ) then reached on a fielder's choice and Michaelis homered to left center to make it 5-1.

Maryville fought back with three runs in the sixth. With two outs and runners on first and second Ashley Marks singled deep in the hole at shortstop and Slemp tried to make a play but threw high allowing Meredith Brown to score from second and put runners on second and third. A wild pitch brought in the third run then another error allowed the fourth run to score and put the tying run on base. After a single, Strope was able to get out of the inning with a groundout to short.

The Lady Miners had a chance to extend their lead in the seventh as the first two hitters reached, but they couldn't bring them in. Strope allowed a lead-off single to Williams in the bottom of the seventh. That would be all for her as Kati Viets (Sweet Springs, Mo./Sweet Springs) came in to retire the next three hitters to clinch the victory.

S&T had 11 hits in the opener led by Michaelis with three while Slemp and Fedorchak had two apiece. Strope got the win allowing four runs, two earned, on nine hits with a strikeout and two walks in six innings. Viets picked up her first save of the season going the final inning.

In the backend of the doubleheader the Lady Miners struck first with a run in the first. Michaelis reached on a bunt single with one out, stole second and scored on Slemp's single back up the middle. The Saints answered with two runs in the home half of the first on a double just inside the left field line and an infield single.

Maryville added an unearned run in the fourth inning to extend their lead to 3-1on a sacrifice fly. S&T bounced back with three runs in the fifth to take the lead. Three hits in four batters loaded the bases with one out for Michaelis. She popped out on an infield fly to the second baseman, but Slemp worked a walk to bring in Fedorchak and then Viets singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Culbertson and Davis to make it 4-3.

The Saints countered with a three run rally of their own in the sixth. Two singles and a sacrifice bunt put runners on the corner with one out. Maryville squeezed in the tying run as Krystal Rock scored just ahead of the throw on Williams bunt. Brittany Casini then singled to right, Monica Weiss (St. Louis, Mo./Marquette ) tried to throw out the runner at the plate, but her throw took a bad hop over Miranda Thompson (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) that allowed Courtney Ferguson to score the go ahead run and allowed the other two runners to advance. A groundout to second brought in Williams with the third run of the inning and another groundout ended the frame.

The Lady Miners brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh, but a groundout to short ended the game.

S&T had seven hits in the nightcap led by Michaelis with two while Davis, Slemp, Viets, Fedorchak and Culbertson had one apiece. Viets took the loss allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits with no walks or strikeouts in six innings of work.

The Lady Miners conclude the home portion of their schedule this coming weekend against McKendree and Illinois Springfield. S&T will take on the Bearcats on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m., with senior day festivities scheduled in between games. The Lady Miners will then take on the Prairie Stars on Sunday beginning at 12 p.m.