INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Missouri S&T's softball team had its share of opportunities Friday afternoon, but couldn't push a run across the plate as its season ended with a 1-0 loss to Lewis at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional at the University of Indianapolis.
After the Flyers (39-16) got the only run of the game in the opening inning, the Miners stranded the bases loaded in two different innings and also had two runners thrown out at the plate after one was thrown out in the top half of the first, including the final out of the game after a record-breaking hit off the bat of
Sydney Anderson (Elkhart, IA/North Polk).
In the Miners' half of the first,
Elizabeth Viox (Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville) beat out an infield single and stole second, then tried to score on a two-out single by Anderson but was thrown out by Lewis left fielder Delaney Garden to end the inning.
Lewis then grabbed the advantage in the bottom half when Gabi Nilles walked with one out and stole second, then came in to score on a hit by Jalyn Powell.
S&T
Bryn Wooldridge (Salisbury, Mo./Salisbury) got a strikeout and got some defensive help from Viox to prevent any additional damage, as Viox made an inning-ending diving catch on a ball off the bat of Evie Calderon.
Wooldridge was outstanding after the Flyers scored the run, allowing only four hits the rest of the way and striking out six in keeping it as a one-run game.
The Miners loaded the bases in the third as
Peyton Dillon (Yorkville, Ill./Rosary) reached on an infield single,
Trista Grobe (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto) followed with a hit and Anderson was walked with two outs. However, the Flyers got out of that jam, thanks to a runner being cut down at the plate on a squeeze bunt attempt and a ball caught in short right to close the inning.
S&T had a similar threat two innings later, as Dillon drew a walk to start the inning before Viox singled on a ball in the hole between third and short and Anderson was walked again with two outs. Lewis got a ground ball to end that chance as well.
In the seventh, after the first two hitters were retired, Wooldridge singled and was replaced on the bases by pinch-runner Isbella Welton. Anderson followed by hitting a ball in the gap that went off the glove of the right fielder for a double, but the Flyers got the ball back in and threw Welton out at the plate to end the game.
Anderson, who had two hits along with Viox among the eight compiled by the Miners, set a new S&T single-season standard with her 22
nd double of the season in the seventh inning. The Miners outhit the Flyers 8-5.
