ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team opened Great Lakes Valley Conference dropping both ends of its doubleheader to Southwest Baptist 5-3 and 7-4 in eight innings on Saturday afternoon at the UMSL Softball Field. The Tritons are 7-8 overall including 0-2 GLVC while the Bearcats move to 8-12, 2-0 GLVC.
Game 1 – SBU 5 UMSL 3
UMSL came out of the gates swinging as its first three batters singled to start the game to load the bases. After a pop out,
Simia Spahiev put the Tritons on top with a single to right scoring
May Pasqualini. UMSL had a chance to add on but back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning.
SBU tied the game in the second on a home run to left off the bat of Margo Frossard and took the lead in the third on Audrey Rahlman's RBI single to center scoring Angi Micone.
The Tritons tied the game in the fourth on
Rylie Buchanan's solo home run to right center for her fourth roundtripper of the season. UMSL retook the lead in the fifth on an RBI single from
Jamie Widule scoring
Courtney Settles from second.
The Bearcats rallied in the seventh sending nine batters to the plate scoring three runs on two hits. Micone drove in two runs with a line drive single that deflected off Widule's glove at third down the left field line and Frossard walked with the bases loaded to make it 5-3.
The Tritons were retired in order in the seventh to end the game.
UMSL had eight hits in the contest and were led by Settles with two.
Ashley Ware went the first six innings allowing five runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and four walks to fall to 2-3 on the season.
Game 2 – SBU 7 UMSL 4 (8 innings)
The Tritons jumped out to the early lead in the nightcap thanks to a one-out single to right from Widule that scored Pasqualini. UMSL again loaded the bases but left them loaded as a line out and groundout ended the inning.
SBU tied the game in the fifth on a squeeze play as Kaitlyn Ragsdale laid down a sacrifice that brought home Keeley Elsea.
The Bearcats got to
Ashley Borowitz scoring three runs on three hits and an error in the seventh to take a 4-1 lead. Micone had the big hit in the inning delivering a two-run double down the left field line.
The Tritons rallied in their half of the seventh. Buchanan led off the inning with her second home run of the afternoon to bring UMSL within 4-2. Pasqualini walked and scored on Settles double high off the fence in center. Settles took third on the throw home and scored on a passed ball to tie the game. The Tritons had the winning run at second with no one out but couldn't get bring it home as Abby Leer came out of the pen to retire the next three hitters.
SBU hung another three spot in the eighth on three hits. Hayley Sites had the big hit with a two-run double to left center to break it open.
UMSL got a one out single from Pasqualini in the bottom of the frame but couldn't get her in.
The Tritons had eight hits in game two and were led by Settles with three while Widule added two more. Borowitz took the loss allowing seven runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
UMSL concludes its four-game homestand on Sunday hosting Rockhurst in a doubleheader at 12 p.m. at the UMSL Softball Field.
