ARKADELPHIA, AR -- The 2025 season is under way with Softball playing their first two game of the season at the Hawkins McGhee Memorial Tournament. The Miners dropped both games today, falling 6-2 to Ouachita Baptist and 10-6 to Northeastern State.
Ouachita Baptist 6, Missouri S&T 2
Missouri S&T took the first two hits of the game, one from
Trista Grobe (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto) in the first inning and one from
Allie Kelly (Park Hills, MO/Central) in the second, but came away scoreless both times. The Tigers got on the board first though, putting up the majority of their points in the bottom of the second, opening the inning with a single, a double, and a single before hitting a two run homerun to go up 4-0. A wild pitch an inning later gave the Tigers another run, extending their lead to five before a double in the fourth gave them their largest lead of the game at 6-0.
The Miners finally broke their scoring drought in the top of the sixth off a sacrifice fly RBI by
Mackenzie Shields (Kansas City, MO/Platte County) that brought
Celeste Pineda (Okmulgee, OK/) home. A stolen base by
Autumn Trower (Troy, MO/) pu another runner in scoring position before a fly out ended the inning. A scoreless bottom of the sixth for Ouachita set up the deciding final inning.
Taylor Nelson (Jefferson City, MO/) opened the seventh with a solo homerun to left center, making it a 6-2 game. The Miners recorded two more runs but were unable to cover the gap, falling to the Tigers in the season opener.
Northeastern State 10, Missouri S&T 6
S&T got off to a strong start offensively in game two, recording two hits and loading the bases with one out. Unfortunately, a fielders choice out at home and a pop up ended the inning with the Miners bringing anyone home. Northeastern State recorded hits on their first three at bats, bringing one run home before recording their first out. The RiverHawks went on to add two more runs in the bottom of the first to take an early 3-0 lead. The Miners quickly responded though, recording a homerun by
Keira Jones (Richmond Hill, GA/Richmond Hill) and a double by Grobe in the top of the second to tie the game at 3-all.
The RiverHawks and Miners each added another run in the next two half innings, with S&T's coming off a single RBI by
Jordyn Davis (Broken Arrow, OK/). An inning later in the top of the fourth the Miners claimed their first lead of the game after
Kaylee LaChappell (Oswego, IL/) stole home base. The lead did not last long though, with the Tigers loading the bases before scoring a pair of unearned runs. They added a pair of runs in each of the next two innings, putting them ahead 10-5. A homerun by
Tori Thompson (Chandler, AZ/) in the top of the seventh cut the Tigers lead to four, but the were unable to overcome the deficit before the final out.
What's Next
The Miners have Northwest Missouri State and Henderson State on the schedule for their next two games of the tournament.
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