ARKADELPHIA, ARK- The Miner softball team kick off their 2019 campaign today against Northeastern State and Southwest Baptist in the opening games of the Ronnie Hawkins Tournament. Despite gaining a 2-0 lead early over the RiverHawks, S&T would be able to hold on for the win and dropped the first game 8-5 but come back strong and win the second game over SBU 4-2.

S&T: 5 Northeastern State: 8
Jacey Allen (Roanoke, TX/Byron Nelson) kicked things off in the bottom of the 2^nd inning with a solo shot to give the Miners a 1-0 lead. Four batters later, Hannah Smith (Oconomowoc, WI/Catholic Memorial) would drive Carly Hamann in from second base to give S&T a 2-0 lead.

Northeastern cut their deficit in half in the top of the 3^rd when Addie Elbon singled and sent Madison Boyd around the bases. The RiverHawks would come back in the top of the 5^th to plate three more runs to take a 4-2 lead.

The Miners answered with three of their own runs; Courtney Jackson (Parkville, MO/Park Hill South) came across the plate after Gretchen Egly (Joliet, IL/Plainfield Central) singled. Both Egly and Olivia Young (Millstadt, IL/Belleville Township) would advance to second and third, respectively, on the throw home. Young was sent home on a first base ground-out by Allen to tie the game at 4-4. Olivia Walter (Catawissa, MO/Cor Jesu Academy) would get the final RBI for the Miners when she singled and drove Egly home.

Northeastern would secure their win with four runs scored in the top of the 6^th inning to take the 8-5 win.

Olivia Walter (Catawissa, MO/Cor Jesu Academy) (0-1) got the start today and pitched a complete game. She recorded three strikeouts and allowed nine hits.

Young, Egly, and Walter led the team with two hits each while Jackson, Allen, Hamann, and Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley) all recorded one hit each.

S&T: 4 Southwest Baptist: 2
After dropping their first game of the season, the Miners turned right around to face off against the Bearcats of Southwest Baptist. They picked up their first win of the season with their 4-2 victory over SBU in the second game of the Ronnie Hawkins Tournament.

S&T kicked things off in the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back hits from Courtney Jackson (Parkville, MO/Park Hill South) and Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley). Olivia Young (Millstadt, IL/Belleville Township) would pick up a walk before Gretchen Egly (Joliet, IL/Plainfield Central) stepped to the play for a 2 RBI single. Anna Burke (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) picked up her first RBI of the season with a double play ball to short that would score Egly and give the Miners a 3-0 lead.

The Bearcats answered in the top of the third when Sam Moran singled and drove in Kori Hillenburg. Moran would get SBU's final RBI of the day in the top of the 7^th when she hit a sac fly out to right field and brought Yezzania Gonzalez across the plate.

The Miners would tack on their go-ahead run in the bottom of the 6^th with an RBI single from Burke to send Klein home. That would be all S&T would need to secure the 4-2 win.

Kate Baxter (New Bloomfield, MO/New Bloomfield) (1-0) got the start today and pitched a complete game that saw two strikeouts and just three Bearcat hits.

Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley) led the Miner hitters with two hits while Jackson and Young picked up the other two.