Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
St. Charles, Mo. - The Southwest Baptist Softball team dropped two games on Friday to the Lions of Lindenwood. The Bearcats lost game one in heartbreaking fashion by a 4-3 score in 11 innings and fell in game two by a 4-2 count. With just two games remaining on the season slate, the Bearcats record drops to 16-33 (6-18 MIAA).

Game 1
Over the first five innings of the game, neither team could push across a run as both pitchers stifled the opposing lineups. SBU starter Claire Miller only allowed one hit and two base runners to reach in the five innings along with retiring ten batters in a row. In the top of the 6th inning, the Bearcats mounted a two-out rally. Megan Schellert doubled to left and Emily Hall followed with a RBI single to send in Schellert. The bottom of the 6th inning though saw Lindenwood respond with a three run frame to go up 3-1.

Down to their last three outs, SBU showed their resolve. Lauren Strobel started the inning with a leadoff single. After an out, Miranda Aguiliar blasted a home run down the left field line to tie the ballgame at 3-3. Miller then shut down the Lions lineup easily in the bottom of the 7th inning to send the game into extra innings. The Bearcats had a chance to go ahead in the top of the 8th inning with runners on 2nd and 3rd base but could not convert on that chance. In the bottom of the 9th inning, Miller faced bases loaded with one out but escaped the jam with an inning ending double play and sent the game into the 10th inning. 

After neither team threatened in the 10th inning, Lindenwood put together an opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the 11th inning. The Lions got a runner on with one out via a single. Following a foul out, the Lindenwood runner stole 2nd base. A throwing error from Hall sent the Lions runner to 3rd base and another throwing error from Payton Wildeman allowed the winning run to cross home and give Lindenwood the 4-3 win.

Miller threw all 10.2 innings with 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts but took the loss (12-16). At the plate, Hall recorded 3 hits in 5 at bats along with an RBI. Aguiliar, Schellert, Strobel, Wildeman, Stormy Greathouse, Jaidyn Mawhinney, and Kaley Hansen all had hits as well.

Game 2
The second game started with the Bearcats striking first in the top of the 2nd inning. Aguiliar doubled with one out and was pinch ran for by Kelcee Welch. Jayden Gonzales immediately followed with a single and Welch scampered home. Kori Hillenburg kept the rally going with a single and Gonzales moved to 3rd base. A passed ball from the Lindenwood catcher allowed Gonzales to score and give SBU the 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the 2nd though, the Lions tied the game up with an RBI double and RBI single off of SBU starter Alexis Dock. The Bearcats had an opportunity in the top of the 3rd inning but stranded two runners. The Lions were able to take the lead and go up 4-2 in the bottom of the 3rd inning, capitalizing on a couple mistakes from the Bearcat defense. 

Kaylee Schmidli came in out of the bullpen to shut down the Lions the rest of the game and keep the deficit at just two runs. However, the Bearcat offense struggled as only one base runner reached in the final four innings and the Lions came away with the 4-2 victory.

Dock pitched 2 innings with 5 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, and 1 strikeout and took the loss (2-6). Schmidli tossed the final 4 innings in relief with no runs, 3 hits, and 4 walks. At the dish, the hits were spread around with Greathouse, Hall, Aguiliar, Gonzales, and Hillenburg all recording knocks. 

SBU will wrap their season on Saturday with a doubleheader at Lincoln University starting at 1:00 PM.