JOPLIN, Mo. – Missouri S&T's softball team closed out its action at the MIAA/GLVC Crossover event with a loss Monday afternoon to Missouri Southern, as the Lions grabbed a three-run lead in the second inning and went on to beat S&T 6-2.
Southern (14-5) scored three times in the second without the benefit of a hit, taking advantage of a pair of walks to open the inning and some sloppy play by the Miners along the way during that frame. With one out, a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt brought home the first Lion run, then the second run scored on a passed ball and the third on a wild pitch.
The Miners (8-9) got on the scoreboard in the third as
Hannah Antzoulatos (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) drew a leadoff walk, moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt and came in to score on a hit down the left field line by
Rachel Smith (Monroe City, Mo./Monroe City R-1). However, Southern got that run back in the bottom of the inning when Kate Thurman drew a walk with the bases loaded to force in a run.
The Lions added onto their lead in the fourth on an RBI single by Josie Topfi before S&T mounted a two-out uprising the fifth to get a run closer. After the first two hitters were retired,
Elizabeth Viox (Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville) tripled and came home moments later on a hit by Smith.
Southern tacked on a run in the sixth on a Leighton Withers run-scoring single, then the Miners were able to get the tying run to the plate in the top half of the seventh. A leadoff hit by
Baylee Jobson (Marceline, Mo./Marceline RV), followed by one-out singles by
Gretchen Roth (Parkville, Mo./Park Hill South) and Viox loaded the bases with one out, but MSSU pitcher Natalie Bates was able to get out of the inning by getting a fly ball and a strikeout to end the contest.
S&T outhit Southern 6-5 in the game – Viox and Smith had two hits apiece for S&T and Smith drove in both runs – but the Miners were hampered by 10 walks and two errors.
After playing its first 17 games away from home, Missouri S&T will get its home schedule started Wednesday when its faces Augustana in a 1 p.m. doubleheader at the S&T Softball Field.
