IRVING, Texas – The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team opened its 2026 season with a pair of run-rule victories defeating Minnesota State-Moorhead 13-1 in five innings and Texas-Dallas 11-3 in six innings at the Fields at 63 Station in Mansfield, Texas on Friday afternoon.
Game 1 – UMSL 13 MSU-Moorhead 1 (5 innings)
The Tritons (2-0) jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the first.
May Pasqualini led of the game with a walk and went to second on
Jamie Widule's bloop single down the left field line. A double steal put both runners in scoring position for
Simia Spahiev. Spahiev delivered hitting a three-run home run to center field for the start of a big day for her at the plate.
UMSL added three more in the second as Widule hit a ground-rule double down the left field line to drive in Pasqualini and then Spahiev doubled to score Widule and
Gracie Philpot singled to right center to bring in Spahiev.
The Tritons put the game away with a seven-run fifth inning.
Phoebe Miller got the party started with a solo home run to center to lead off the frame. Widule drove in her second run with a bases loaded walk. Spahiev cleared the baes with a three-run double to center that made it 11-0. Miller, batting for the second time in the inning, singled up the middle scoring Spahiev and Philpot.
The Dragons (0-2) got their lone run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single from Melanie Spivey.
UMSL pounded out 13 hits in the contest and were led by Spahiev with three while Widule, Philpot, Miller and
Kaytie Kossina had two hits each. Spahiev drove in a career-high seven runs in the contest.
Ashley Borowitz got the start in the circle for the Tritons. She threw four scoreless innings giving up three hits and struck out a batter to earn the victory.
Game 2 – UMSL 11 UT-Dallas 3 (6 innings)
UMSL gave up single runs in each of the first three innings and trailed 3-0 going into the bottom of the third in their second game of the day against the Comets (0-2).
The Tritons rallied in the home half of the third scoring five runs on four hits and an error.
Keira Hayton reached on a throwing error by the shortstop to start the inning and scored on Widule's bunt single up the first base line. Spahiev drove in Widule with a double to left center and then scored on
Rylie Buchanan's double down the right field line to tie the game. Miller followed with her second home run of the day hitting this one out to deep left field.
UMSL added three more in the fifth as Philpot scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-3. Later in the inning, Buchanan scored on a passed ball and Miller scored on a double steal as
Kiley Sullivan took second on the back end of the steal.
The Tritons put the game away in the sixth. Philpot brought home Widule on a ground-rule double to right center and Buchanan lined a two-run single to center scoring Spahiev and Philpot to end the contest.
UMSL finished with eight hits in the nightcap and were led by Buchanan with two to go along with three RBIs.
Ashley Ware picked up the win in the circle allowing two runs, one earned, in four innings pitched. She gave up four hits, walked three and struck out a batter to get her first win of the season.
The Tritons return to the diamond on Saturday afternoon taking on Central Missouri at 4:15 p.m. at the Fields at Station 63 in Mansfield, Texas.
