ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team dropped both games on Saturday at the Washburn Invitational at the Lake Shawnee Softball Complex in Topeka, Kan. The Tritons dropped the opener to Nebraska-Kearney 7-5 and then dropped the nightcap to Pittsburg State 7-2.
Game 1 – Nebraska-Kearney 7 UMSL 5
The Lopers (8-9) got on the board on Sydney Thompson's solo home run with one out in the bottom of the third.
The Tritons (3-5) answered in their half of the fourth scoring two runs on a hit and an error. With one out,
Corinne Daley doubled to center and scored when
Megan Brown reached on a throwing error by the second baseman and advanced all the way to third on the play. She scored on
Riley Schultz's groundout to short.
UNK retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth as Thompson drove in two with a single to center. UMSL prevented a third run from scoring as Lindsey Roth was thrown out between third and home to end the inning.
The Tritons had a big inning in the fifth scoring three runs on five hits. Daley singled down the left field line to drive in
Irene Travis with the tying run. Brown followed with a single to right to drive in
Bre Caper, running for
Courtney Settles, with the go-ahead run and then Schultz drove in her second run of the contest with a single to right.
The Lopers regained the lead in the sixth as Katie Gosker hit a grand slam to left center with two out in the inning.
UMSL was retired in order in the seventh to end the contest.
The Tritons had eight hits in the contest and were led by Daley with three while Travis added two.
Jenna Towle took the loss allowing four runs on three hits with four walks and a strikeout in 2.1 innings of relief work to fall to 2-1 on the season.
Game 2 – Pittsburg State 7, UMSL 2
The Gorillas (8-6) built a 4-0 lead through four innings of play scoring twice in the second and once each in the third and fourth innings. Pitt State's first two runs came on a two-run homer off the bat of Kadyn Trochim with one out in the second.
The Gorillas third run scored on an RBI single off the bat of Paxtyn Hayes with one out in the third. Gracie Sullivan made it 4-0 with a solo home run in the fourth.
Pitt State tacked on three insurance runs in the seventh. Kylee Bohle drove in the first run with a bases loaded walk and then Trochim added her third and fourth RBIs of the game with a double to center.
UMSL got on the board in the seventh scoring two runs on three hits.
McKenzie Lamos doubled down the right field line to drive in
Maddie Snemis and then Settles brought in
Anna VanGundy with a single down the right field line. The Gorillas went to the pen and brought in Hannah Harrison to get the final two outs to seal the win.
The Tritons had eight hits in the night cap and were led by Brown, VanGundy and
Ashley Borowitz with two apiece.
Annie Scaramuzzi took the loss allowing four runs on six hits with seven strikeouts in six innings pitched to fall to 1-1 on the season.
UMSL concludes play in the Washburn Invitational on Sunday taking on Southwest Minnesota State at 11:30 a.m. at Washburn University. The Tritons will then take on Emporia State at 3:30 p.m. at Lake Shawnee Softball Complex.
