MARION, Ill. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team dropped two one-run games on the first day of the Oasis Division II Collegiate Classic at the Oasis Sports Complex in Marion, Ill., on Friday afternoon. The Tritons lost to Purdue Northwest 1-0 and Grand Valley State 6-5.
Game 2 – GVSU 6 UMSL 5
In the second game of the day, UMSL (4-11) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the home half of the first.
Kiley Sullivan and
May Pasqualini hit back-to-back singles to start the inning then
Gracie Philpot was hit on an 0-2 pitch to load the bases.
Kaytie Kossina brought home Sullivan with a sacrifice fly to right and Pasqualini advanced to third. After a strikeout, Pasqualini scored on a wild pitch.
The Tritons added to their lead in the second frame.
Sasha Buckberger hit a one out double to left center, went to third on a sacrifice from
Madison Rozanski and scored on Sullivan's two-out single down the left field line.
UMSL extended its lead with single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings. Buckberger got the rally going in the fourth hitting a ground rule double to center with one out and then with the bases loaded Philpot drew a walk scoring
Kodi VanEycke who ran for Buckberger earlier in the inning.
The Tritons' fifth run came in the fifth as
Keira Hayton singled, stole second and scored on Buckberger's RBI single.
Buckberger held the Lakers (4-3) hitless through 5.1 innings but a one out walk and then a single by Grace Usher broke up the no-hit bid. Kylee Hoebeke was retired on a pop up to short for the second out but a walk, three straight singles and an error allowed GVSU to tie the score.
The Lakers took the lead in the seventh on a bases loaded single from Faith Edwards scoring Camryn Hall.
UMSL got the tying run on base with two out in the bottom of the frame but a strikeout ended the contest.
The Tritons outhit GVSU 10-7 in the contest and was led by Buckberger with three hits while Sullivan, Pasqualini and Hayton had two apiece.
Kenzie Stoltz took the loss giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits and a walk in 0.2 innings pitched.
Game 1 – PNW 1 UMSL 0
The first game of the day was a pitcher's duel between
Ashley Borowitz and the Pride's (4-2) Jordyn Roop as each hurler traded zeroes for the first six innings.
Purdue Northwest broke through in the seventh with a two-out rally. Emma Fair started the rally with a single to center and then Kylie Madura doubled to right center. The Tritons got the ball in quickly forcing Fair to be held at third but the relay through got away allowing Fair to score the go-ahead run.
The Tritons were then retired in the home half of the seventh to end the contest.
UMSL was held to three hits in the opener with Kossina recording two of those while
Jamie Widule added the third. Borowitz was the tough luck loser giving up the unearned run on five hits with three k's in the complete game effort.
The Tritons look to bounce back on Saturday afternoon taking on Ferris State at 12:30 p.m. and then will have a rematch with Grand Valley State at 3 p.m. Both games will be at the Oasis Sports Complex.
