RiverHawks Split With Missouri Southern State
JOPLIN, Mo. – Northeastern State split a non-conference softball doubleheader with Missouri Southern State University, winning the opener 10-2 and losing the second game 13-10 at Kungle Field Wednesday afternoon.
The RiverHawks are now 14-28 heading into a Saturday twin bill at Springfield, Mo., against Drury University on Saturday.
Northeastern State jumped out to a 7-1 lead after six innings of play. The RiverHawks struck for two runs in the opening inning with Rachel Turner singling to left field with one out. Cayce Coleman was issued a walk. Selbi Bowin hit a two-out RBI single up the middle giving NSU a 2-0 lead.
The RiverHawks added three runs in the fourth for a 5-0 lead. Kylie Morton opened the inning with a single. April Marsee pinched ran for Morton and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Rogers.
Megan Heskett walked following a ground out by Lisa Ripperger. Turner then reached on an error and Marsee scored. Heskett who moved to third, then scored on a wild pitch for a 4-0 lead. Coleman followed with a double down the right field line scoring Turner for a 5-0 NSU advantage.
In the fifth inning the RiverHawks added two more runs on two hits and a Missouri Southern error. With two outs, Rogers singled through the middle and Ripperger reached on an error. Heskett then tripled to centerfield scoring Ripperger and Rogers for a 7-0 Northeastern State lead.
Missouri Southern scored in its half of sixth before RiverHawks added three more runs in the top of the seventh.
Morton opened the seventh with a single to left field and Rogers followed with a walk. Ripperger then advanced both with a sacrifice bunt. Heskett plated Morton with a single up the middle and Turner followed with another single scoring Rogers. Coleman completed the RiverHawks scoring in the inning when she through the left side to score Heskett.
The Lions scored a single run in the last of the seventh as NSU’s Cayce Coleman evened her pitching record at 10-10. Coleman scattered nine hits, struck out four and walked three.
In the second game NSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on three base hits, including RBI single by Chapin, who came around to score on a Missouri Southern error.
The Lions scored one in the first and three in the second for a 4-2 Missouri Southern lead. The RiverHawks tied the game at 4-all with two in the third on Hilderbrandt RBI triple to right field and Casey Moyer’s RBI single.
Missouri Southern regained the lead with a run in last of the third for a 5-4 lead. Both teams were scoreless in the fourth before the RiverHawks struck for five runs in the fifth and a 9-4 lead on three hits The big blow was a 3-run RBI triple by to right centerfield by Ripperger. Turner also had an RBI single in the inning.
However, the Lions scored four runs each in the fifth and sixth innings to get the victory, which included a grand slam in the sixth inning.
NORTHEASTERN STATE 10-10, MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE 2-13
First Game
Northeastern State 200 320 3 – 10 15 0
Missouri Southern State 000 001 1 –2 9 4
Coleman and Hilderbrandt; Clute, Bax (4), Bennett (5) and Hasty. W: Coleman (10-10). L: Clute (6-11).HR: Hurley (2).
Second Game
Northeastern State 202 050 1 – 10 13 1
Missouri Southern State 131 044 x – 13 13 3
McKinney and Hilderbrandt; Moore, Box (5) and Turner. W: Bax (1-3). L: McKinney (0-3).
