Kansas City, Mo. – Overcoming adversity is a trademark of success and the Missouri S&T softball team managed to vanquish an 8-4 opening game extra-inning setback by coming back to register a 1-0 game two win over Rockhurst this Friday (March 30) and salvage a Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) doubleheader at RU's Loyola Park Softball Field.
 
A noteworthy five-hit pitching performance from senior Kati Viets (Sweet Springs, Mo./Sweet Springs) in the nightcap not only tempered a disheartening game one setback, but importantly gave S&T at another mark in the GLVC win column.  The game's lone score came in the third inning as a result of a Rockhurst error.
 
The Lady Miners appeared on their way of being victorious in the opening game with a three-run lead through five frames.  Unfortunately, the Hawks scored twice in the sixth and pushed the game-tying run across home plate with two outs in the seventh inning before exploding for four runs in the eighth on three S&T errors.      
 
The series split gives S&T an 18-14 record overall this season as the Lady Miners are presently 8-4 in conference matchups.  S&T has won six of its last eight outings to date.
 
Rockhurst, victorious in three of its last four games, now stands at 13-18 overall with a 7-3 GLVC mark.  
 
S&T was the designated home team in the twinbill as continuous wet weather in Rolla made the S&T Softball Field unplayable forcing the games to be moved to Rockhurst's home playing field.     
   
Game 1 - Rockhurst 8, Missouri S&T 4 (Eight Innings)
 
S&T discovered the final out is usually the toughest as the Lady Miners appeared on the verge of a one-run victory in the top of the seventh inning only to give Rockhurst a glimmer of the hope as the Hawks capitalized by scoring the game-tying run to force extra innings and eventually win the game with a four-run eighth.
 
RU, which had trailed 4-1 through five innings, plated two runners in the top of sixth and added another in the seventh to pull into a 4-4 deadlock.  In the top of the eighth, S&T hampered its quest to regain the lead as the Lady Miners committed three errors on as many consecutive players which in turn resulted in four Hawks' runs.
 
 The Lady Miners trailed 1-0 after the opening inning as the Hawks collected three hits in the top half.  However, S&T overcame its one-run deficit in the bottom of the second on when sophomore outfielder Hannah Smith (Oconomowoc, Wis./Catholic Memorial) laced a RBI double to right centerfield to score junior first baseman Gretchen Egly (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield Central), who cracked a two-base hit to lead off the frame.
 
Three innings later, the Lady Miners took their lone lead of the game, scoring three times in the fifth to register a 4-1 scoreboard advantage.  Sophomore shortstop Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley) singled in the inning's first run before sophomore designated player Olivia Young (Milstadt, Ill./Belleville Township) followed with a two-RBI single in left field.   
 
In the top of the sixth, Rockhurst scored twice as Danielle Cross cleared the bases with a two-run homer over the left field fence as the Hawks closed to within 4-3.  In RU's next inning, the Hawks evened the score on an Emily Truitt two-out RBI single off S&T sophomore pitcher Avery English (Carterville, Ill./Carterville).  The Lady Miners went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
 
Three consecutive S&T errors victimized the Lady Miners in the top of the eight as Rockhurst cashed in with four runs on two hits and the miscues.  The key base hit for the Hawks came off the bat of Hanna Stam, who smacked an English offering to left center field which scored three RU runs.  A RBI single from Taylor Rupe represented the Hawks' eighth and final run of the game.
 
The loss went to S&T starter Avery English (Carterville, Ill./Carterville), who gave up eight runs on 12 hits while walking three and striking out six in going the distance.  For Rockhurst, Shannon Greene also turned in a complete game as she allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits and fanned three.
 
Junior outfielder Courtney Jackson (Parkville, Mo./Park Hill South)'s two hits topped the Lady Miners, who were outhit by a 12-7 margin.
           
Game 2 - Missouri S&T 1, Rockhurst 0
 
Still reeling from the disappointing game one loss to the Hawks, S&T reversed its fortunes in the nightcap as the Lady Miners turned the outcome into a joyous one due primarily to Kati Viets (Sweet Springs, Mo./Sweet Springs) successfully managing to keep the Hawks' hitters off balance en route to a shutout win.
 
Viets, who upped her pitching mark to 6-5 this spring, went the complete-game seven innings as she allowed five hits, one walk, and fanned three RU batters.
 
The contest's lone score occurred in the bottom of the third inning when freshman catcher Ashley Davis (Erie, Ill./Erie) reached base on a one-out single.  After advancing to second on a RU wild pitch, Davis came home when Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley)'s two-out popup to second base was misplayed giving S&T the game-winning run albeit unearned.
 
In the top of the seventh, Rockhurst loaded the bases with one out as the potential tying run in Halle Koelliker occupied third base.  However, the Lady Miners thwarted the potential rally as Viets induced Danielle Cross into an infield fly out to third baseman Monica Weiss (St. Louis, Mo./Marquette) and Megan Freitag grounded out to Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley) for the game's final out.      
 
For S&T, Ashley Davis (Erie, Ill./Erie) and junior outfielder Carley Hamann (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way North) each compiled two hits to lead the Lady Miner hitting attack.  Courtney Jackson (Parkville, Mo./Park Hill South) and Monica Weiss (St. Louis, Mo./Marquette) accounted for the rest of S&T's six hits in the contest.  
        
Up Next
S&T travels to Liberty, Mo., this Saturday (March 31) for a two-game league series against the William Jewell Cardinals at Cardinal Field.  The opener begins at 12 p.m. (CT) followed by game two at 2 p.m. (CT).  S&T is then idle until Sunday, April 8, when the Lady Miners battle the Drury Panthers at DU's Thompson Field in Springfield, Mo.  Game one of the GLVC doubleheader begins at 12 p.m. (CT) proceeded by the second game at 2 p.m. (CT).  The Lady Miners then return to the S&T Softball Field Tuesday, April 10, taking on the Rogers State Hillcats in non-conference play.  A 1 p.m. (CT) start is scheduled for the opener with the nightcap to begin at 3 p.m. (CT).