Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Bolivar, Mo. – The Southwest Baptist University softball team split a double-header against Missouri Southern on Monday afternoon, taking game one 5-2 before falling 11-4 in game two. At the conclusion of the day, SBU now stands at 12-16 (5-5 MIAA) on the season.

In game one the Bearcats fell behind 1-0 after the first inning of play, but tied the game up at 1-1 in the third. Catlin Evans led the inning off with a walk followed by a Rachel Ray bunt single. Following two outs, Kaley Hansen hit an infield single to short, and an MSSU bobble allowed Evans to score and tie the game at 1-1. MSSU responded in the top of the fourth with a run, taking a 2-1 lead, before the Bearcats battled back in the bottom of the sixth.

With one out in the inning Yezzania Gonzalez single to center field, followed by an infield single by Kori Hillenburg. After a flyout, Ray doubled down the left field line, scoring Gonzalez, as SBU tied the game at 2-2. Dana Graves then hit a two-rbi single up the middle, followed by a Caitlyn Cooner rbi single through the left side to put SBU ahead 5-2. Kacey Ayers would shut down Missouri Southern in the top of the seventh to earn the victory in a 5-2 Bearcat win.

In game two Missouri Southern once again jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, and led 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth. However, the Bearcats answered back in the bottom half of the inning. Evans led the inning off with a bunt single, followed by a walk from Ray, and a single up the middle by Graves. Sacrifice fly's from Cooner and Hansen put a pair of runs on the board as SBU trailed 5-2. After MSSU extended their lead to 10-2, the Bearcats got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the fifth. Stef Lischke led the inning off with a single up the middle, followed by a hit batsman, and a wild pitch advanced both runners to second and third. Evans then had an rbi groundout, followed by an rbi single to center field by Graves as SBU trailed 10-4. However, SBU was unable to get back on the scoreboard as they fell 11-4.

The Bearcats will quickly return to action on Tuesday, March 15 when they travel to Central Methodist. Opening pitch of game one of the double-header is set for 2:00 p.m. from Fayette, Missouri.