WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Missouri S&T's offense was shut down throughout the afternoon on Tuesday as Central Missouri blanked the Miners in both ends of their softball doubleheader at Jennies Field. Central won the opener 8-0 and completed the sweep with a 4-0 victory in game two as it held S&T's hitters to a total of nine hits in the two contests.
Game 1 -- Central Missouri 8, Miners 0
The Miners (12-16) fell behind right out of the gate as UCM (20-11) scored twice in each of the first two innings. The Jennies scored their first run via four walks, then their first hit of the inning by Halle Howes brought home the second run. In the second inning, a couple of S&T errors opened the door for Central as two of the first three hitters reached in that manner that led to the first run, then a sacrifice fly by Abby Allnutt later in the frame made it 4-0.
S&T got two hits in the top half of the inning, but those runners were erased on a double play and a caught stealing. The Miners wouldn't get another hit until the sixth, when
Chloe Saltijeral (North Aurora, Ill./Rosary) led off with a single and
Taylor Caton (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway West) singled with one out, but both runners were stranded.
UCM added a single run in the fifth and ended the game on the run rule when it scored three times in the sixth.
The Jennies outhit S&T 10-4 in the game; starting pitcher
Bryn Wooldridge (Salisbury, Mo./Salisbury) suffered the loss in the circle for the Miners, recording four strikeouts in her five innings of work.
Game 2 -- Central Missouri 4, Miners 0
After S&T missed a scoring chance in the top of the first, the Jennies took a first inning in the nightcap as well when leadoff hitter Abbey Fischer drew a walk, moved around to third on a passed ball and a wild pitch, then scored when Makenzie McAtee reached a passed ball on a strikeout.
The Miners got a hit from
Emma Vaughn (Pevely, Mo./Herculaneum) and a walk to
Bryn Wooldridge (Salisbury, Mo./Salisbury) in the first, but could not advance either runner beyond that point.
Central added to its lead with two runs in the third -- one scoring on a wild pitch and the other on a bases loaded walk -- then scored again in the fourth when Fischer led off with a bloop double down the line in left and later came home on a ground out.
Each team had five hits in the second game as
Julia Kanoy (Hamilton, Mo./Penney) was tagged with the loss.
Missouri S&T will return to action Saturday as it opens a four-game weekend at home with a doubleheader against Drury at the S&T Softball Field. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
