LEBANON, IL -- Today's doubleheader between Missouri S&T and #22 McKendree ended in a split, with the Bearcats taking game one 12-4, before the Miners claimed the second game 9-6. The Miners' win in game #2 was the team's first victory over a nationally ranked team this year, making it the first of Coach Summer Anagnostopoulos' career with S&T.
Game 1: McKendree 12, Missouri S&T 4
A first at bat homerun for the Bearcats game them an early lead, going up 1-0 on the visiting Miners. Eight hits and two Miner errors led to McKendree going up 8-0 in bottom of the third, with the Miners finally getting out of the inning on a pop out to pitcher. Two singles, a double, and a sacrifice fly put the Miners on the board in the next inning, with S&T picking up two to make it 8-2. The Bearcats responded with two more runs of their own in the bottom of the 4th, bringing two home on a double to center field..
The Miners continued the scoring streak with another two runs in the top of the 5th, this time getting hits from
Taylor Nelson (Jefferson City, MO/Phillips Exeter Academy),
Kaylee LaChappell (Oswego, IL/), and
Trista Grobe (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto).
Jordyn Davis (Broken Arrow, OK/) would record a single in top of the 6th but would be left stranded with back-to-back pop ups. The Bearcats would close the door on a 7th inning comeback, scoring two in the bottom of the 6th to end the game in a run-rule at 12-4.
Game 2: Missouri S&T 9, McKendree 6
Sydney Anderson (Elkhart, IA/North Polk) hit her sixth homerun of the season in the first inning, putting the Miners ahead 1-0 in the 1st. S&T would add to that lead next inning, with
Ty Neal (Enid, OK/Kremlin-Hilldale) and
Allie Kelly (Park Hills, MO/Central) recording hits to set up their second run of the game off an RBI by
Mackenzie Shields (Kansas City, MO/Platte County). Grobe would give S&T another run in the top of the third, hitting a solo homer to right field.
Singles from
Joselyn Ulloa (Chicago, IL/) and Anderson in the top of the 4th would keep the runs rolling for the Miners, doubling their score to take a 6-0 lead. McKendree capatilized on four hits in the bottom of the 4th, recording three runs to make it 6-3. Another S&T homer, this time from Neal, helped the Miners add another three runs in the top of the 7th, giving them a 9-3 cushion entering the bottom of the 7th. The Miners gave up three runs and three hits in the final inning, but ultimately held on the win 9-6 against the #22 team in the country.
The Miners' three homeruns in game two were the second most in a single game this season, with their four against Newman being the most.
What's Next
The Miners play the Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars today at 12pm and 2pm in another Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader.
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