ROLLA, Mo. -- Missouri S&T Softball picked up two mercy rule victories in today's doubleheader against the Upper Iowa Peacocks, defeating the visitors 14-0 and 17-4.
Taylor Nelson (Hailey, ID/Phillips Exeter Academy) hit three home runs on the day, setting a new program record for home runs in a single season with fifteen.
Game 1: Miners 14, Peacocks 0
After starting pitcher
AJ Agers (DeSoto, MO/St. Pius X) retired the Peacocks in order with a pair of strikeouts in the top of the first, the offense piled on in the bottom of the inning with four runs. S&T recorded six hits in the inning, with RBIs coming from the bats of
Molly Fitzgerald (Crystal Lake, IL/Marian Central Catholic),
Kaylee LaChappell (Oswego, IL/Oswego),
Tori Thompson (Chandler, AZ/Basha), and
Trista Grobe (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto) as the Miners built a strong lead right out of the gates.
After retiring batters in order again in the top of the second, the Miners added another run in their at bat, with Nelson reaching on a walk and scoring three at bats later on a fielders choice RBI by LaChappell.
The Peacocks got their first run of the game in the top of the third, hitting a single up the middle, but a double play during the next at bat ended the inning abruptly. Grobe and
Morgan Williams (Midland, MI/Midland) both hit doubles to start the third inning, with singles by
Keira Jones (Richmond Hill, GA/Richmond Hill), Nelson, and Agers contributing to two more runs as the Miners extended their lead to 9-0. They added five more in the 4th, one coming on a single by Jones and the other four on a grand slam by Nelson.
Agers earned the win, pitching 4 innings and only giving up one hit while striking out five. Nelson led the team in RBIs with four and was one of three Miners with a trio of hits, being joined by Grobe and Agers.
Game 2: Miners 17, Peacocks 4
A quick first inning from
Mia Miller (Waterloo, IL/Waterloo) gave the Miners the opportunity to take the early lead again, with Fitzgerald starting the scoring on a three-run homer to center field. A single by Williams and an Upper Iowa error allowed three more runs to score in the inning, giving S&T a 6-0 lead.
UIU's Cara Farnam recorded her team's first hit of the game, reaching on a single down the right field line. Miller retired the next two batters on a fielders choice and a strikeout to send the game into the bottom of the second.
Taylor Nelson (Hailey, ID/Phillips Exeter Academy) hit a solo home run to start the bottom of the second, tying the program record for homers in a season. Agers reached on an error and Fitzgerald added a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. Thompson was the next to hit a home run, sending a ball over the left field fence to score a trio of runs and extend the Miners' lead to 10-0.
Nelson broke the program record for home runs in a single season in the bottom of the third, hitting a solo homer to left to make it fifteen on the year. Agers homered in the following at bat as well, hitting one out over the center field fence.
Upper Iowa had their first offensive break of the day in the top of the 4th, getting five hits and capitalizing on an S&T error to score four, making it 12-4. However, the Miners responded in the bottom of the fourth, getting a double from Fitzgerald and five singles to push the lead to 17-4, allowing
Riley Wilkinson (Marshall, MO/Marshall) to close out the game in the fifth and clinch the doubleheader sweep for S&T.
Not only did Nelson set a program record, but she led the Miner offense with a perfect 1.000 batting average, getting 6 hits on 6 at bats with 7 RBIs. Williams had her best doubleheader of the season, hitting .833 with 5 hits, 4 runs, and 3 RBIs in 6 at bats. The Miners' starting pitchers combined for seven strikeouts and only two hits allowed.
What's Next
The Miners face Quincy at home tomorrow at 12 p.m. for another Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader.
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