JOPLIN, MO.- The Miners headed into day two of the TMZ Tournament and faced the Griffons of Missouri Western. While the first game got away from S&T, they made close in game two. But, ultimately, MWSU came away with both wins at 11-1 and 9-5.

GAME ONE: MISSOURI S&T: 1, MISSOURI WESTERN: 11
The Griffons jumped out to an early lead in game one; after scoring five runs in the top of the 2^nd and another two runs in the 3^rd and 4^th innings, the Miners looked at a 9-0 deficit heading into the 5^th.

Missouri Western added in two more runs in the top of the 5^th, but the Miners offense got some momentum in the bottom half of the inning.

After Marcy McCalla (Staunton, IL/Staunton) singled to the pitcher and advanced to second off an MWSU error, Elizabeth Viox (Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville) picked up a hit and moved McCalla over to third base. With runners at the corners, Maddy Passolano (Mokena, Ill./Lockport Township) ripped a ball down the left field line to easily score McCalla and send Viox over to third base.

Unfortunately, that would be the only run the Miners would get and they would suffer the 11-1 loss.

Along with McCalla, Viox, and Passolano, Taylor Caton (Ballwin, Mo/Parkway West) also picked up a hit in the game.

Charlye Rowland (Pearcy, Ark./Lake Hamilton) (0-2) got the start in game one today going 5.0 innings with three strikeouts.

GAME TWO: MISSOURI S&T: 5, MISSOURI WESTERN: 9
The Miners struck first in game two.

Elizabeth Viox (Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville) reached base on a walk and was moved over to second base off a sac bunt from Maddy Passolano (Mokena, Ill./Lockport Township). Bryn Wooldridge (Salisbury, Mo./Salisbury) would bring Viox around the bases off a single down the right field line to give S&T the 1-0 lead in the 1^st inning.

MWSU wouldn't be behind for long. In the bottom half of the 1^st, Chloe Armstrong hit a three-run homerun over the left field fence to put the Griffons up 3-1.

Another three runs from Western would put them up 6-1, the Miners got a big offensive push in the top of the 3^rd inning.

With Maddy Passolano (Mokena, Ill./Lockport Township) on third base, Holli Finnell (Nolensville, TN/Nolensville) turned a 1-0 count into the Miners first homerun of the season and cut their deficit to 6-3. Keely Morgan (Laguna Hills, CA/Laguna Hills) added in two more run for S&T in the 3^rd inning when she ripped a double into center field and brought Hannah Antzoulatos (Planfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) and Chloe Satijeral around the bases to get within one of the Griffons.

Missouri Western got three more runs from their offense in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend their lead out to 9-5.

S&T had chances to make a comeback in the top of the 6^th inning; after Elizabeth Viox (Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville), Marcy McCalla (Staunton, IL/Staunton), and Maddy Passolano (Mokena, Ill./Lockport Township) all reached base, the Miners had back-to-back chances to add more runs to the board, but were unable to break through MWSU's defense. They would not be able to connect for another run and were handed the 9-5 loss.

The Miners bats reached new heights today collecting 10 hits in game two while Bryn Wooldridge (Salisbury, Mo./Salisbury) (0-2) got the start for the game. She went 3.2 innings while Kate Baxter (New Bloomfield, MO/New Bloomfield) finished off the remaining 2.1 innings and held Missouri Western hitless.