ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Missouri Western Softball had its ups and downs on Wednesday afternoon, splitting two non-conference games with Rockhurst at the Spring Sports Complex.
GAME ONE
Rockhurst 7, Missouri Western 4
Pitching hit a dry spell when Senior
Sam Pederson was pulled after three for
Natalie Kissinger. Rockhurst launched two home runs in the third and fourth inning to go up 4-1. Later in the fifth inning,
Kennedy Preston made it a 7-2 game after walking with the bases loaded.
Two walks in the sixth got the Griffons within striking distance for
Chloe Armstrong to send
Abby Dickey around the bags and across home plate for a run with an RBI single to right field. In the same inning,
Taylor Jones flew out to bring in
Sydni Hawkins. However, MWSU left two runners on base in the seventh and lost game one of the doubleheader.
GAME TWO
Missouri Western 4, Rockhurst 3
Home runs helped the Griffons fight back against the Hawks in game two. The offense in the second part of the doubleheader began with a double roped to right center by pitcher
Harley Pruetting. Missouri Western relinquished the lead in the second when Rockhurst (7-12) ripped two runs home, taking a 2-1 edge.
Kalee Higdon tied things up with a solo shot down the left-field line in the third, but the Griffons were not out of the woods yet.
Rockhurst tallied one more run the fourth when Hawkins committed a fielding error at second base, allowing Alexis Enslinger to score. Nearly to the finish line and down 3-2 in the fifth,
Mackenzie DeVine demolished a two-run, go-ahead dinger to center field to give the Griffs a 4-3 lead. After giving up a one-out single in the seventh, Pruetting went on to force the Hawks to ground into a game-ending double play, sealing a doubleheader split to end the day.
NOTABLES
- Pruetting struck out seven batters in game two.
- DeVine hit her fourth home run of the season. Higdon hit her second.
- Hawkins hit third in game two, as DeVine was tabbed the leadoff hitter for the first time this season.
UP NEXT
Missouri Western (19-6, 2-2 MIAA) is set to begin a doubleheader with Newman (9-17, 0-2 MIAA) on Friday at 2 pm. The Jets just swept a doubleheader vs. Northwestern Oklahoma State on Monday in Wichita, Kansas.
