BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team split its opening conference double header with Southwest Baptist on Friday evening at the SBU Softball Field in Bolivar, Mo. The Tritons dropped the first game 6-4 before bouncing back to win the second 12-4. UMSL is now 8-14, 1-1 GLVC.
 
GAME 1: SBU 6, UMSL 4
The Tritons opened the scoring in the first game with a two-run third inning. A Jamie Widule single to right field saw Katie Kossina score from third and May Pasqualini from second to put UMSL up 2-0.
 
The Bearcats (11-13, 1-1 GLVC) answered with a four-run fifth inning. The first three batters singled to load the bases before a single from Keeley Elsea combined with a throwing error saw three runs score. SBU added a fourth run off a sacrifice bunt to bring Elsea home.
 
UMSL tied the game in the sixth inning with a Kiley Sullivan RBI single to right field to bring home Keira Hayton from third base. Kaytie Kossina singled two batters later to bring Sullivan home and tie the game at four.
 
SBU hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to retake the lead.
 
GAME TWO: UMSL 9, SBU 0
Sasha Buckberger got the Tritons going with a two-run homer in the second inning, bringing home Phoebe Miller who had doubled to center to open the inning.
 
UMSL added two more in the third inning, thanks to a Widule solo home run and a Madison Rozanski single up the middle that brought home Kossina.
 
A Sullivan single brought home Gracie Philpot from second base to put UMSL up 5-0 in the fourth.
 
The fifth inning saw the Tritons add seven runs. Buckberger hit a solo home run before Maddie Illingworth hit a two-run home run that brought home Rozanski. Widule doubled to center field to bring home Pasqualini before a Kossina single brought Widule home.
 
Miller doubled to left center to bring home the final two Triton runners.
 
SBU got four runs back in the fifth inning starting with a solo homerun by Graccee Brockman. A passed ball during Jacie Frencken saw another run score from third before Frencken's single brought home the final two runs of the inning.
 
Buckberger picked up the win with five innings pitched and one strikeout.
 
The Tritons continue their roadtrip with a Saturday (March 13) doubleheader against Rockhurst. First pitch is at 2:00pm at Loyola Park in Kansas City.