JOPLIN, Mo. — The Missouri Southern softball team closed down the 2019 season inside the Pat Lipira Softball complex by recognizing its four seniors upon a pair of back-and-forth battles with Northeastern State that went the RiverHawks way by 7-3 in game one and 4-3 in game two.
Coaches, Family members, and the Missouri Southern Athletic Department stayed from the opening lineups to the end of game two to get a chance to thank and say fair well to fellow seniors Lexi Ferrari (RF), Taurean Guzman (P), Angel Badalamenti (C), and Ashley Caldarella (3B) as they were recognized for their achievements and contributions to MSSU throughout the last four years.
Game One
The Lions (19-25, 10-16 MIAA) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third after going scoreless through the first two innings. Designated player Emily Harris led it off with her second home run of the season to left center field and then with two outs and two runners on, junior Erika Lutgen singled up the middle to score both to conclude the scoring output.
Northeastern State (26-25, 14-12 MIAA) responded by scoring two runs in the fourth, two runs in the sixth, and three in seventh to close game one with the 7-3 win.
Makaila Leonhart, Ashley Caldarella, and Harris each had two hits, including a double from Leonhart.
Game Two
After the RiverHawks took a 1-0 advantage in the first, pinch hitter Kaycee Hodgson came up with two outs and runners on first and third. Early in count, Hodgson got a piece of one and launched it into right center for a triple and two RBIs to give the Lions a 2-1 lead. Elizabeth Windsor followed by a hitting double to left field to knock in the third run in the inning as Southern came out of the fourth up 3-1.
Then in the sixth as both teams went quietly in the fifth, the RiverHawks with two outs and the bases loaded had a chance to tie the game up. Cameron Conrad singled to left center to score one with the second one getting out on a bang-bang play at the plate in first glance to get the Lions out the inning, but the umpires huddled together to talk about it and reversed the call on the field to give the RiverHawks the tying run (3-3) entering the seventh.
The RiverHawks went on to score the game-winning run off a sac-fly in the seventh to end the day.
Harris and Josie Tofpi led the team with two hits while four other batters added a hit in the loss.
