Searcy, Ark. – The Missouri S&T Lady Miner softball team opened its 2017 season on Saturday afternoon dropping a doubleheader at Harding 7-6 and 11-4 in Searcy, Ark. Carley Hamann (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way North) led S&T (0-2) with four hits in the doubleheader while Monica Weiss (St. Louis, Mo./Marquette ), Savannah Fedorchak (Oakville, Mo./Oakville), Avery English (Carterville, Ill./Carterville) and Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley) had two hits each.

In the opener on Saturday the Lady Miners fell behind giving up four runs in the bottom of the second. They got two of those back in the top of fourth on RBI singles from Hamann and Gretchen Egly (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield Central). The Bison (2-0) got another run in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead to 5-2.

In the fifth inning Jacey Allen (Roanoke, Texas/Byron Nelson) doubled down the left field line to drive in Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley) with S&T's third run of the game. Harding added two more in the home half of the fifth on a sacrifice fly and an RBI double Alexus Lawellin.

The Lady Miners cut the lead to a run scoring three times in the top of the sixth. Kelly Heckemeyer (St. Elizabeth, Mo./St. Elizabeth) scored on a bunt single by Weiss after the first baseman muffed the throw and later in the inning with the bases loaded Fedorchak plated two with a single to right center and advanced to second on the throw home. S&T had a chance to take the lead with the go-ahead run at second but Hannah Franceschini (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) lined out to left to end the threat.

The Lady Miners got the tying run on the top of the seventh thanks to a lead-off error but were unable to bring the runner around.

S&T was outhit in the contest 11-10 with Weiss and Hamann contributing two hits each. Kati Viets (Sweet Springs, Mo./Sweet Springs) suffered the defeat allowing seven runs, six earned, on 11 hits with four walks and a strikeout in six innings of work.

In the second game of the afternoon the Lady Miners gave up single runs in the first and second inning then the Bisons broke the game open in the third with a five run frame. Lexi Ruff delivered the big blow in the inning with a three-run homer to right center.

S&T got a run back in the fourth inning as Fedorchak led off with a double down the left field line. Rachel Aiardo (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) came into run for her, she advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Hamann's single to right.

Harding added to its lead with a run in the home half of the fourth. The Lady Miners cut the Bisons lead in half with three runs in the fifth inning on a three-run homer off the bat of Allen. It was the first home run of Allen's collegiate career.

The Bisons added three more runs in the home half of the fifth to cap the scoring.

S&T finished with eight hits in the night cap led by Hamann and English with two apiece. English got the start in the circle in the second game allowing 11 runs, 10 earned, on 13 hits with three strikeouts and three walks in her collegiate debut.

The Lady Miners are back in action next weekend traveling to Wichita Falls, Texas to play four games in the Midwestern State University Tournament. S&T plays its first game next Saturday against Newman at 9:30 a.m.