JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – MSU Moorhead softball would win the first game of their trip to the Show-Me State, but would falter in game two against Lincoln University on Wednesday afternoon.
The Dragons earned a 7-6 win in game one over the Blue Tigers before Lincoln avenged the loss with a 4-0 game two victory.
Game One
The Dragon pitching staff would begin the game hot as starter
Azalya Lopez fanned a pair of Blue Tigers in the bottom of the first inning. MSUM would attempt to utilize that momentum in the top of the second as
Evey Evans earned the game's first hit with a single. Evans would make it all the way to third base but would not cross home. Lopez would collect two quick outs in the home half of the inning before getting into a jam following a Lincoln double. The sophomore would leave two runners on base as she would strike out her fourth Blue Tiger to close the frame.
MSUM would show their prowess for small ball in the top of the third with
Eliyah McCarthy reaching base on an infield single. Lopez would move McCarthy into scoring position thanks to a sacrifice bunt in the next at-bat. McCarthy would make it third on a passed ball, but Lincoln would work its way out of the two-out jam to keep the game scoreless. Lopez would answer with another pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the third inning.
The Dragons would break the scoreless tie in the next half inning as Evans picked up her second hit of the ballgame, this time a double to left field. In the ensuing at-bat,
Olivia Goderis would drive Evans in with a double of her own. For Goderis, it is her eighth RBI of the season and her fourth double. The Dragons would load the bases with two outs as Lopez stepped to the plate. Goderis would cross home on a passed ball while Lopez would later single to drive in
Sam Centeno. Heading into the home half, MSUM led 3-0. Lincoln would gain one run in the bottom of the inning to trail 3-1.
MSUM would strike again in the fifth as
Lizzy Davis and
Eliya Johnson would work out back-to-back walks. Davis would make it third on a Dragon fly out.
Grace Oeltjen would pinch run for Johnson on first and would take off for second immediately. Oeltjen found base safely, but it also allowed Davis to cross home and complete the rare theft of home plate. The Dragon lead stood at 4-1 midway through the fifth inning.
Offense would keep coming for MSUM in the sixth inning as Johnson would smack a double to centerfield to bring two more Dragons home.
Chloe Makinney would later drive Johnson in with a double of her own to stretch the score to 7-1 in favor of MSUM.
Brynna Farman would come on in relief of Lopez in the sixth after the sophomore struck out eight Blue Tigers in five innings of work. Lopez only surrendered three hits to the 19 batters she faced. Farman would give up a pair of hits but would strand two runners to close the frame. While the Dragons would surrender five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Evans would come on to close the game, ensuring a 7-6 Dragon win.
Game Two
MSUM would get into the hit column immediately in the second game as Lopez fired a single up the middle. Lopez would get pushed into scoring position in the inning but would not be brought across home to break the scoreless tie. Dragon starter
Teagan Clemmons would earn a pair of ground outs to begin her afternoon before surrendering a two-out hit-by-pitch and a double. On the two-bagger, Dragon left fielder
Lizzy Davis would fire a throw to home and stop the Blue Tigers from plating a run.
The Dragons would get out of a jam in the bottom of the second as Lincoln would load the bases with one out. Luckily for MSUM, Clemmons would calm herself and work out of the inning, leaving three Blue Tigers on base. The Dragons would not manage a hit in both the second and third innings. Lincoln's strong pitching translated to offense in the home half of the third as they would score three runs off of Clemmons. Two of those runs would go unearned due to a Dragon passed ball.
MSUM would not get another hit until the top of the fifth inning when
Eliyah McCarthy got on base with a single. The Dragons would eventually load the bases thanks to a single from
Chloe Makinney and a Lopez walk. However, MSUM would not take advantage as the Blue Tigers would strand all three Dragons on base to close the frame. Lincoln would hold the Dragons hitless in the top of the sixth inning as well. The game would come to a halt at two different points during the contest, one due to weather and another in relation to an umpire's health and safety. The delays would total over an hour between them.
As play resumed, Lincoln would tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.
Kaelyn Leverson was strong in relief for MSUM despite surrendering the run. Leverson gave up just two hits in her three innings of work. Trailing by four runs, MSUM had their final shot in the bottom of the seventh and showcased a threat. The Dragons would have runners at the corners with two outs but would still not be able to bring anything across. Nine Dragons were left on base in the game.
Up Next
MSUM (9-7) will take on Central Missouri tomorrow in Warrensburg, Mo., in a doubleheader that begins at 3 p.m.
