SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – After it nearly made a rally in the seventh inning of game one only to fall short, Missouri S&T's softball team came from behind to take the second game of Saturday's Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader from Illinois Springfield and gain a split.
UIS (25-16, 6-6 GLVC) took the opener 5-4 before the Miners (16-18, 8-6 GLVC) put seven runs on the board in the final two innings of game two earn a come-from-behind 7-2 victory.
Game 1 – Illinois Springfield 5, Miners 4
The Prairie Stars got on the board first in the opening inning when they scored a run on a wild pitch, but S&T knotted the score in the fourth. A pair of one-out singles by
Bryn Wooldridge (Salisbury, Mo./Salisbury) and
Hannah Antzoulatos (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) and a subsequent error following the latter hit put runners at the corners.
After a fielder's choice that resulted in a runner being thrown out at the plate,
Elizabeth Viox (Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville) singled to the opposite field to tie the contest.
However, UIS regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by Ashley Klinzing, then tacked on three more runs in the sixth to extend its lead to 5-1 heading into the seventh inning.
But in the seventh, S&T received back-to-back walks to
Peyton Dillon (Yorkville, Ill./Rosary) and
Madison Passolano (Mokena, Ill./Lockport Township) to open the inning, then
Rachel Smith (Monroe City, Mo./Monroe City R-1) reached on an error to load the bases. With two outs,
Shannon Flowers (Katy, Texas/Katy) singled to drive in two runs, which was followed by an infield hit by
Chloe Saltijeral (North Aurora, Ill./Rosary) that scored Wooldridge to cut the lead to one. However, the Prairie Stars held on as they got a strikeout to end the game with the tying run at third.
The Miners outhit the Prairie Stars 9-8 in the game, getting two hits apiece from Antzoulatos, Flowers and Wooldridge, who was charged with the loss in the circle despite striking out six in her six innings of work.
Game 2 – Miners 7, Illinois Springfield 2
The nightcap saw the Miners fall behind in the fourth on an RBI single by Ramsey Armstrong, not get their first hit off UIS starter Taylor Zawacki until Salitjeral singled with one out in the fifth – but then break loose in the final two innings to gain the split.
Down 1-0 heading into the sixth, the Miners began their rally as Passolano reached on an infield hit to start the inning. She moved along to third on a passed ball and a wild pitch, then scored when Smith reached on an error to tie the score.
Following a pitching change and the first batter being retired, Antzoulatos singled to the opposite field and Flowers reached on an fielder's choice as Smith made it to third following an error by the third baseman. Saltijeral followed by putting the Miners in the lead with a single.
Charlye Rowland (Pearcy, Ark./Lake Hamilton) gave up a pair of hits with two outs, but got a strikeout to get out of the inning before the Miners gave her some insurance runs in the seventh. She started the seventh inning herself with a leadoff hit as S&T would go on to plate five runs in the frame. Wooldridge hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the first run, before Antzoulatos doubled in two more and Flowers doubled her in moments later.
Saltijeral, who had three hits in the nightcap, followed the double by Flowers with a hit; an error at the end of the play allowed pinch-runner
Ciarrah Bell (Marceline, Mo./Marceline) to score the fifth run of the inning.
Rowland allowed a run in the seventh but still picked up her fourth win of the season as she scattered nine hits and struck out five. The Miners got nine hits to back up her pitching effort, two coming from Antzoulatos to go along with Saltijeral's three.
Missouri S&T will host defending NCAA Division II champion Rogers State on Tuesday at the S&T Softball Field, with the first pitch slated for noon.
