ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team split its GLVC doubleheader against Rockhurst taking the opener 8-5 but dropped the second game 3-0 at Loyola Park in Kansas City on Sunday afternoon. The Tritons are now 16-12, 3-1 GLVC while the Hawks are 6-12, 1-3 GLVC.
Game 1 – UMSL 8 Rockhurst 5
Rockhurst took the early lead scoring twice in the opening frame. Kerstyn Finch led off the game for the Hawks hitting a home run to center field. Cheyenne Minnick made it 2-0 with a bunt single back to
Lexi Sherrick scoring Maya Gallagher.
UMSL tied the game in the third.
Jamie Widule drove in
McKenzie Lamos with a single through the left side of the infield to cut Rockhurst's lead to 2-1. Later in the inning,
Megan Russell walked and
Courtney Settles scored on a passed ball to tie the game.
The Hawks regained the lead in the third as Minnick and Gallagher pulled off a double steal of second and home. Rockhurst added another run in the fifth as Finch stole third and scored on a throwing error by
Rylie Buchanan.
The Tritons took their first lead of the contest scoring five times in the top of the sixth. With one out, UMSL loaded the bases with three straight singles. Settles tied the game with a single to left scoring
Maddie Snemis and
Irene Travis. Widule put the Tritons on top with a single to center scoring Lamos.
Gwyn Miller drove in the fourth run of the inning with a sac fly to left and Buchanan drove in the final run with a single to right scoring Widule.
The Tritons final crossed the plate in the seventh as Miller hit a sac fly to center scoring Travis with an insurance run.
The Hawks got a run back in its final at-bat as Gallagher doubled in Finch but it wouldn't be enough as Sherrick got a pop up to short and a fly out to right to end the game.
UMSL had 18 hits in the contest with the top five hitters combining to go 15-24 with eight runs scored and four RBI. Sherrick went the distance giving up five runs, three earned, on seven hits with a season-high nine strikeouts to even her record at 4-4.
Game 2 – Rockhurst 3 UMSL 0
Rockhurst scored all its runs in game two in the first two innings. Finch led off the game for the Hawks reaching on a walk, went to second on a sac bunt and advanced to third on a groundout back to the circle. With two out, Minnick walked and stole second to put two in scoring position. Finch scored the first run on a wild pitch and Minnick went to third. Minnick scored on a passed ball when Emily Berry struck out swinging but reached first safely.
Rockhurst loaded the bases with two out in the second and scored its third run on Jayla Pierce's single to right. Finch tried to score from second on the play but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The Tritons brought the tying run to plate in the third and sixth innings but were unable to get the key hit off Anna Newcomer as she left the four runners on base. UMSL loaded the bases with two out in the seventh but Avery Huffman struck out Settles swinging to end the game.
The Tritons outhit the Hawks 7-2 in the nightcap and were led by Settles and Widule with two hits each.
Ashley Borowitz took the loss in game two giving up three runs, two earned, on two hits but walked four to drop to 8-8 on the season.
UMSL wraps up its season opening road trip next Sunday (March 24) as it travels across the river to Lebanon, Ill., to take on McKendree in a doubleheader starting at noon.
