BRANSON, MO -- Missouri S&T Softball split today's games at the Branson Leadoff Classic, defeating 11th-ranked Central Oklahoma 5-4 but falling to Northwestern Oklahoma State 10-0 in game two of the day.
S&T 5, #11 UCO 4
UCO's Rylee Lemos, the reiging MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, started the scoring in the first inning, reaching on a walk before advancing home after a stolen base and a pair of ground outs. The Broncho's lead was erased in the top of the second inning when doubles by
Tori Thompson (Chandler, AZ/Basha) and
Morgan Williams (Midland, MI/Midland) brought home a couple runs to give S&T a 2-1 edge.
Lemos would pick up an RBI on a groundout in the third inning, tying the game at 2-2. Singles by
Claire Lopez (Olathe, KS/Olathe Northwest) and
AJ Agers (DeSoto, MO/St. Pius X) set the Miners up to score two more in the top of the 5th, doubling up the Bronchos at 4-2. UCO would draw even again in the bottom of the 6th, utilizing a single, a double and an S&T error to bring two home. A walk for
Molly Fitzgerald (Crystal Lake, IL/Marian Central Catholic) followed by singles by
Taylor Nelson (Hailey, ID/Phillips Exeter Academy) and
Trista Grobe (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto) gave the Miners bases loaded with no outs in the top of the 7th. A sacrifice fly by
Kaylee LaChappell (Oswego, IL/Oswego) scored pinch runner
Joselyn Ulloa (Chicago, IL/William Howard Taft), allowing the Miners to nab the 5-4 win after a bottom of the 7th where
Mia Miller (Waterloo, IL/Waterloo) struck out two batters to put UCO away.
Lopez led the Miners at bat with 3 hits in 4 appearances, while Miller picked up her first win of the season in relief of Agers.
NWOSU 10, S&T 0
The Miners recorded a hit in each of their first two innings but failed to score. It was the Rangers who drew first blood with a three-run top of the third featuring a couple of hits and an S&T error. They doubled their lead in the fourth with a three-run homerun by Madden.
The Miners were able to get runners on base in the fourth and sixth innings, but double plays by the Rangers cut both opportunities short. NWOSU started the final inning strong, hitting a solo homerun to left center field to extend their lead to 7-0. Two more singles and a triple in the inning would extend the Rangers' lead to 10-0, leading to another empty inning for the Miners in the bottom of the 7th.
The Miners pitchers combined for 8 strikeouts in the game, with Miller accounting for four of those in 3.1 innings pitched.
What's Next
Softball will be at Alvy Early later this week for five more games.
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