ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team split their final game of the regular season with William Jewell, winning the first 4-2 before dropping the second 11-3 in five innings on Sunday afternoon at the UMSL Softball Field. The Tritons finish the regular season with a 26-24, 19-9 GLVC record while the Cardinals end their season at 21-29, 12-16 GLVC.
Game 1: UMSL 4 WJC 2
William Jewell jumped out to an early lead with a pair of runs in the top off the first. Mikayla led off the game with a home run to center. Later in the inning, Emma Jane Ogle drew a walk with the bases loaded to force home the second run.
UMSL took advantage of a two-out error in its half of the first.
Kiley Sullivan hit a fly ball to deep right field that was dropped by Avery Websster allowing Sullivan to get to second.
May Pasqualini brought home Sullivan with a single up the middle.
The Tritons capitalized on two more Cardinal errors in the second to take a 4-2 lead.
Phoebe Miller led off the inning with a single and went to third on
Maddie Illingworth's single to right. Illingworth advanced to second on the throw to third and when Sheyenne Kelch threw to second her throw sailed into right field allowing Miller to score the tying run and Illingworth went to third on the error.
Gracie Philpot was hit by a pitch and stole second to put two in scoring position for
Kaytie Kossina. Kossina hit a single to right scoring Illingworth with the go-ahead run. Philpot scored as Lexi Lopez dropped the throw from Webster to make it a two-run game.
Kenzie Stoltz pitched out of jam in the seventh giving up back-to-back singles to start the frame but retired the next three hitters to seal the victory. She went the distance giving up two runs on seven hits with three walks and seven strikeouts to improve to 6-5 on the season.
UMSL had five hits in the contest and was led by Kossina, Pasqualini, Miller, Illingworth and
Jamie Widule with one each.
Game 2: WJC 11 UMSL 3, five innings
William Jewell jumped out to another early lead in the second game as it sent nine batters to the plate scoring six runs on three hits in the second inning.
The Cardinals loaded the bases with the help of a hit by pitch, single, and a walk before a second hit by pitch brought home the runner from third for the first run of the inning. A single to right field brought home a second run before Mikayla Chairez hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home one more runner. Lopez hit a three-run home run to center field to clear the bases and make it 6-0.
In the bottom of the second Miller doubled to left center, advancing to third on a passed ball before Philpot singled to left field to bring her home and get the Tritons on the board.
A two-run home run to left center by Kelch in the top of the third made it 8-1 Cardinals.
Kelch doubled to left field in the top of the fifth to make it 9-1. A single through the left side brought her home before Chairez doubled to right center to bring in the third and final run on the inning.
UMSL's rally to avoid being run ruled fell just short in the bottom of the fifth. Kossina extended the inning with a single up the middle, moving to third on a Sullivan double down the left field line. Widule singled to bring home Kossina before Pasqualini singled up the middle to bring home Kossina for the final run.
Ashley Borowitz pitched 2.2 innings in the loss, giving up eight runs on five hits with two strikeouts to fall to 8-8 on the year.
Sasha Buckberger pitched 2.1 innings in relief, giving up three runs on six hits with one strikeout.
The Tritons had eight hits in the second game and were led by Kossina and Sullivan with two apiece.
UMSL is the number four seed in the GLVC tournament and will face fifth seeded Rockhurst on Wednesday (May 6) at 12 p.m. at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill.
