ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team split its two games on Friday at the Independence Bank Blue Bridge Battle at Deaconess Park in Evansville, Ind. The Tritons fell to Ohio Dominican 5-4 in their opener and defeated Davenport 6-2 in the nightcap.
Game 2 – UMSL 6 Davenport 2
UMSL (3-2) jumped out to the early lead in its second game with one out in the bottom of the first.
Irene Travis singled to short and scored on
McKenzie Lamos' two-run homer to left center.
The Tritons added to their lead with two more in the second. With one out,
May Pasqualini tripled down the left field line and scored on
Gwyn Miller's single to right to make it 3-0.
Maddie Snemis drove in Miller from second with a single that was deflected by the shortstop.
The Panthers (2-5) cut into UMSL's lead with a pair of unearned runs in the fourth.
The Tritons got one of those runs back in their half of the fourth. Pasqualini led off the inning with a single back to the circle, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on
Jamie Widule's triple down the left field line.
UMSL's final run of the contest came in the fifth as Lamos led off the inning with a home run to center.
The Tritons outhit Davenport 10-5 in the contest and were led by Snemis, Lamos, Pasqualini and Widule with two hits apiece.
Lexi Sherrick picked up the win in the circle tossing a complete game giving up two unearned runs on five hits while striking out three and didn't walk a batter to even her record at 1-1.
Game 1 – Ohio Dominican 5 UMSL 4
UMSL struck first in its opener with a run in the fourth. With two out,
Maddie Illingworth doubled to right center and scored on
Rylie Buchanan's single to right center.
The Panthers (7-2) took the lead in their half of the fourth scoring two runs on three hits and an error. Emily Walker led off the inning with a bunt single, stole second and advanced to third on Lindsey Potter's bunt single. Walker scored the tying run on a throwing error by Pasqualini. With one out, Potter stole third and scored on Saadie Maysonet's single to left center.
The Tritons tied the game in the fifth. Snemis led off the inning with a single to second, advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Travis. Lamos drove in Snemis with a triple down the right field line. UMSL had a chance to retake the lead but couldn't bring home Lamos.
ODU retook the lead in its half of the fifth scoring three runs on three hits and an error. A fielding error allowed Allie Madden to reach to start the inning. Madden scored on Alexis Stevens triple to right. With two out and runners on the corner Kendrick Sterling singled down the left field line to make it 4-2. Maysonet followed with a single to bring in Potter.
The Tritons loaded the bases with two out in the seventh.
Simia Spahiev drove in Snemis and Lamos with a single down the right field line and sent Pasqualini to third. UMSL was unable to tie the game as Miller flied out to center to end the game.
The Tritons had eight hits in the contest and were led by Lamos with three. Snemis, Spahiev, Illingworth, Buchanan and Widule added a hit each.
Ashley Borowitz went the distance allowing five runs, two earned, on 11 hits while striking out five and walking two to fall to 2-1 on the season.
UMSL continues play in the Independence Bank Blue Bridge Battle on Saturday with two more games. It'll take on Davis & Elkins (W.V.) at 2 p.m. and Ferris State at 4 p.m.
