Rolla, Mo. – The Missouri S&T softball team earned a Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) doubleheader split this Saturday (March 17) with Illinois Springfield (UIS), winning 8-1 in the opener before falling 9-2 in the nightcap at the S&T Softball Field.  

The Lady Miners, who have presently won five of their last eight contests, are now 12-12 on the season as a result of today's two-game series split.  UIS is 14-9 overall and 1-1 in the GLVC this season to date.

A four-run fourth inning was all S&T would need in game one as the Lady Miners scored off the long ball with two-run home runs by sophomore designed player Olivia Young (Milstadt, Ill./Belleville Township) and junior second baseman Hannah Franceschini (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central).  Sophomore pitcher Avery English (Carterville, Ill./Carterville) tossed a three-hitter and struck out four UIS hitters to register the complete game one win.

In the nightcap, UIS turned the tables on S&T as the visitors jumped out to a 3-0 lead thru three innings and added a combined six runs in the game's final two innings to garner the victory.

Game 1 - Missouri S&T 8, UIS 1

UIS snapped a scoreless game in the top of fourth inning as Lakyn Wagoner homered off S&T pitcher Avery English (Carterville, Ill./Carterville) to take a 1-0 lead, which the Lady Miners quickly erased in the bottom half of the frame with a four-run output on two-run roundtrippers by Olivia Young (Milstadt, Ill./Belleville Township) and Hannah Franceschini (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central).  Junior center fielder Courtney Jackson (Parkville, Mo./Park Hill South) recorded a leadoff triple and scored on Young's seventh home run of the season over the left centerfield fence.  Franceschini followed two batters later with a blast to center field, which scored junior first baseman Gretchen Egly (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield Central), who had drew a walk.   

In the fifth, S&T increased its lead to 5-1 on a two-out RBI double by Olivia Young (Milstadt, Ill./Belleville Township) to right center.  The Lady Miners tallied three more runs in the bottom of the sixth on just two hits with the decisive hit coming on freshman catcher Ashley Davis (Erie, Ill./Erie)' three-run home run to center field.

Avery English (Carterville, Ill./Carterville) (10-5) picked up the win in the pitching circle for S&T with a three-hit complete game while UIS hurler Ali Haesele (9-4) took the loss. 

Olivia Young (Milstadt, Ill./Belleville Township) led S&T with a two-of-three hitting performance at the plate to go with three RBIs.  Ashley Davis (Erie, Ill./Erie) also notched three RBIs with her home run.            

Game 2 - UIS 9, Missouri S&T 2

UIS struck first and often in the second game as the visitors pushed a run across in the second inning and two more in the third to lead 3-0 after five innings of play.  A two-run home run from Hannah Kain in the third accounted for the scoring in the third after a S&T error in the second brought home the game's initial run.

Calla Wickenhauser lead off the UIS sixth with a solo shot to make it 4-0 and a RBI single by Erin Stroup added on the Prairie Stars' margin.  Lakyn Wagoner also went yard for UIS in the inning with a two-run home run as the visitors held a 7-0 advantage going into the bottom half of the sixth.

Missouri S&T was able to get on the scoreboard in the sixth with two outs as pinch hitter Jacey Allen (Roanoke, Texas/Byron Nelson) singled to right field to drive home two Lady Miners as the hosts closed to within 7-2.  Unfortunately, S&T was unable to get any closer as UIS netted two seventh-inning runs thanks to Calla Wickenhauser's second homer of the game.

Olivia Young (Milstadt, Ill./Belleville Township) and Gretchen Egly (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield Central) paced S&T offensively with two hits apiece as five Lady Miner batter produced at least one hit.  Senior pitcher Katie Viets (2-5) suffered the loss for S&T, giving up 10 hits and fanning four in a complete game effort.  For UIS, starter Jaycee Graver earned the decision as she posted six strikeouts and allowed six hits in six innings of work.  

Up Next

Missouri S&T wraps up its four-game weekend GLVC homestand as the Lady Miners square off against the Lewis Flyers this Sunday (March 18) at the S&T Softball Field in Rolla, Mo.  Opening pitcher for game one is at 12 p.m. (CT) with the second game to follow at 3 p.m. (CT).