Lion softball salvages split with UCM

The No. 11 Missouri Southern State University Lions (37-7, 12-4) earned a 4-3 walk-off win over the University of Central Missouri Jennies (29-13, 12-6) in Game 2 of a doubleheader but fell 7-5 in the opener Friday at Pat Lipira Field.

In Game 1, the Jennies plated a pair of runs in both the second and third frames to earn a 4-0 lead.

Southern tightened the game at 4-3 with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Katie Gray drove in Taylor Nuckolls with a home run, and Emma Mason plated Emily Perry with a single to left field.

Each team scored a run in the fifth. UMC made it a 5-3 game in the top of the frame with a Taylor Thompson solo homer, but the Lions responded in the bottom of the inning when Nuckolls drove in Grace McNulty with a sacrifice fly to center field to make it 5-4.

The Jennies plated a run in both the sixth and seventh innings to take a 7-4 lead. MSSU scored once in the bottom of the seventh when Walter scored on another Nuckolls sacrifice fly but fell short in the 7-5 loss.

Bailey Dillon was 2 for 4 at the plate for MSSU. Nuckolls was 1 for 3 with two RBIs and a run, and Gray was 1 for 4 with two RBIs and a run.

Kiki Pickens was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs, one earned, on six hits. She struck out two and walked none in 2 1/3 innings.

In Game 2, starter Emily Davis gave up three runs, two earned, while striking out seven and walking three in 5 1/3 innings. Pickens (14-3) earned the win after giving up no runs and no hits while striking out three and walking none in 1 2/3 innings of relief.

Southern got on the board in the bottom of the third when Nuckolls plated Dillon with a two-out double. The Lions increased their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Emma Mason laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Micah Snider.

The Jennies regained the lead at 3-2 with three runs in the top of the sixth, but the Lions tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Emily Perry crushed a solo home run.

Maddie Rolfs secured the Lions 4-3 walk-off win when she brought Daniella Guiterrez across the plate with a two-out game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. Rolfs and Nuckolls both went 1 for 3 with an RBI, and Perry was 1 for 1 with a run and an RBI.

The Lions return to action with a senior day doubleheader against Rogers State University (29-13, 13-7) beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday at Pat Lipira Field.