MANSFIELD, Texas – The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball dropped a hard fought contest to Central Missouri 3-2 on Saturday afternoon at the Fields at Station 63 in Mansfield, Texas. The Tritons drop to 2-1 while the Jennies improve to 4-0.

UCM struck first with a pair of runs in the second inning. Jadyn Sheffield led off the inning with a walk and stole second. Aly Hageman then walked and both runners advanced on a passed ball on ball four. Kenzie Stoltz struck out Anna Lee Kulka and Emma McCall swinging. She fell behind Taylor Kvale and on the 2-0 pitch a passed ball allowed Sheffield to score the first run of the contest.

After Kvale walked, a wild pitch allowed Hageman to score and Kvale tried to make it to third but Phoebe Miller threw her out at third to end the inning.

The Jens added another run in the third. With one out, Cydney Fullerton doubled to center. After a ground out, Taylor Thompson blooped a single over the head of Kaytie Kossina. Klara Bulla threw home trying to get Fullerton, who went back to third, but the throw was wide and that allowed Thompson to go to second. A wild pitch brought home Thompson with the third run of the contest.

UMSL chipped away in the fourth. Jamie Widule led off the inning with a single and then Simia Spahiev lined a double to left center. Widule tried to score from first on the play but was thrown out at the plate. Gracie Philpot singled to center and on the throw back in went to second on a throwing error by Bailey Brumley which allowed Spahiev to score.

Rylie Buchanan singled and advanced to second on the throw putting two in scoring position for Miller. Miller followed with a single to center scoring Philpot to make it 3-2. UMSL left two on in the frame as back-to-back groundouts ended the threat.

The Tritons had another chance in the fifth as Keira Hayton led off the inning with a walk and went to second on a sacrifice bunt from May Pasqualini. Widule was robbed of extra bases on a line out to third and then Spahiev hit one to deep right that was caught at the fence for the final out of the inning.

UMSL nearly tied the game in the sixth hitting a deep fly ball to left center that was caught at the fence by Kyrsten Moran for the final out of the inning.

The Tritons outhit the Jennies 5-3 in the contest and left four on base with each team committing an error. Widule, Spahiev, Philpot, Buchanan and Miller each had a hit in the contest. Stoltz took the loss giving up three runs, two earned in six innings pitched. She walked six and struck out six in the contest.

UMSL returns to the diamond for two more games on Sunday taking on Texas Woman's University at 10 a.m. and Northwest Missouri State at 2:30 p.m.