ROLLA, Mo. –
Ashley Davis' (Erie, Ill./Erie) last swing of the bat as a member of the Missouri S&T softball team was a memorable one, as she connected on a tie-breaking, two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning that gave the Miners a 3-1 win over Lewis in game two of Sunday's Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader at the S&T Softball Field. The season came to a close, however, as the Miners played to a split with the Flyers and fell just short of making the GLVC Tournament as a result.
Game 1: Lewis 15, Missouri S&T 1
The Flyers (24-24, 10-16 GLVC) scored in every inning as they took the opener from the Miners. Lewis got its leadoff hitter on in all five frames – that runner scored in every instance – as it had three big innings along the way.
Lewis got on the board in the first when Gabi Nilles doubled down the left field line to open the contest and later scored on a ground ball off the bat of Jayln Powell. The Flyers proceeded to score four times in the second – three scoring on a two-out bases clearing double by Delaney Garden – then added a run in the third, five in the fourth and four more in the seventh.
The Miners got their only run in the third when
Emma Vaughn (Pevely, Mo./Herculaneum) reached on a fielder's choice, moved around to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored on a bloop single by
Elizabeth Viox (Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville). S&T had only two other runners reach base in the game as it was outhit 13-3.
Game 2: Missouri S&T 3, Lewis 1
Lewis scored first in the nightcap as well on back-to-back doubles by Garden and Powell in the opening inning, but was held in check after that by Miner pitcher
Charlye Rowland (Pearcy, Ark./Lake Hamilton) as she allowed only three more Flyer hits over the balance of the contest.
Despite having good scoring opportunities in the third and fourth innings, it wasn't until the fifth before the Miners got on the board. Davis drew a four-pitch walk to open the inning and
Baylee Jobson (Marceline, Mo./Marceline RV) reached on a bunt single, but Davis got caught going too far around second and was retired in a rundown. However, Viox singled off Lewis pitcher Payton Wuske and
Hannah Antzoulatos (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) reached on an error to load the bases.
Shannon Flowers (Katy, Texas/Katy) followed with a sacrifice fly to score Jobson, as she knocked the ball loose in a collision with the catcher as the throw went up the third base line.
After Rowland pitched around an error in the sixth, the Miners got hits from Vaughn and
Chloe Saltijeral (North Aurora, Ill./Rosary) before a passed ball moved the runners ahead. Davis followed by hitting a ball into the gap in right center to score both runners to put the Miners in front for the first time all afternoon.
Rowland allowed a one-out single in the seventh, but got a pop up and a fly ball to end the game to improve her record to 10-10 on the year. VIox had two hits for S&T as it outhit the Flyers 7-5 in the game.
The Miners finished the season at 24-26 overall – winning 17 more games than they did a season ago – and at 12-16 in the GLVC. S&T was tied for eighth place in the conference standings at the end of the day with McKendree and Quincy – with Lewis and Maryville potentially joining them in the tie if one sweeps the other when they play Monday – but was edged out for the last playoff spot based on the league's tiebreakers.
