JOPLIN, MO-The S&T Softball team opened their 2021 season today in the opening day of the Teri Mathis Zenner Memorial Tournament in Joplin. The Miners took on the Wolves of Northern State today and ended up dropping their opening games 15-0 and 3-0.

MISSOURI S&T: 0, NORTHERN STATE: 15
Northern State opened the game with an early 3-0 lead after Elyse Cuttic hit a three-run homerun out to left-center field. After adding eight more runs in the 2^nd inning, S&T faced an 11-0 deficit heading into the top of the 3^rd.

Holli Finnell (Nolensville, TN/Nolensville) picked up the Miner's first hit of the game with a hard-hit double to deep left-center field. While Finnell was able to get into scoring position, S&T was unable to bring her around.

The Wolves picked up one more run in the bottom of the 3^rd and another three in the fourth to extend their lead out to 15-0.

Finnell's hit would be the only one the Miners would record as they dropped their season opened 15-0.

Kate Baxter (New Bloomfield, MO/New Bloomfield) (0-1) got the start for today's game going 1.1 innings with two strikeouts. Olivia Walter (Catawissa, MO/Cor Jesu Academy) finished the final 2.2 innings of work with three strikeouts recorded.

MISSOURI S&T: 0, NORTHERN STATE: 3
It was a different story in the second game of the day; S&T held the Wolves offense to just three runs through the first three innings.

Bryn Wooldridge (Salisbury, Mo./Salisbury) (0-1) got the start for the Miners today and held Northern State's offense fairly silent.

NSU's Rachel Reinke opened the game with a 3-1 count homerun to take an early 1-0 lead. They would add in one run in the second and third innings to take a 3-0 lead.

The Miners were able to pick up hits in both the first, third, and sixth innings to attempt to get their offense going.

Elizabeth Viox (Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville) got S&T's first hit of the game in the bottom of the first inning when she sent a ball right to third base and was able to beat out the throw. Taylor Caton (Ballwin, Mo/Parkway West) picked up her first hit of the season in the third inning when she found a gap in left-center field while Hannah Antzoulatos (Planfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) singled through the right side in the sixth inning.

S&T would get one final hit from Ashley Davis (Erie, IL/Erie) in the bottom of the 7^th inning when she singled to the pitcher's circle. Marcy McCalla (Staunton, IL/Staunton), who came in to pinch run for Davis, was able to get to second base on a sac bunt from Charlye Rowland (Pearcy, Ark./Lake Hamilton), but the Miners were unable to connect for a run and suffered the 3-0 loss.

Wooldridge went a solid 4.0 innings for the Miners and recorded one strikeout while Charlye Rowland (Pearcy, Ark./Lake Hamilton) came in for the final 3.0 innings of work for two strikeouts and held the Wolves to just three hits.
Viox, Caton, Antzoulatos, and Davis all reached base on hits in the second game while Davis also reached earlier in the game off a walk.

Missouri S&T (0-2, 0-0 GLVC) will be back in action tomorrow morning when they face off against Missouri Western beginning at 10am.