Joplin, Mo. – The Northern State University softball team won one of two against Missouri Western State on Sunday morning. The series ends their road trip in Missouri with an 11-3 record overall.
The Wolves scored first in the top of the second when
Emily Charchuk drove the ball deep into center field for a double, allowing
Madison Rutter to jog home for the early run. After another clean inning by
Meghan Anderson on the mound,
Kennady Thompson added to their lead in the third inning with a line drive double to left, bringing the overall score to 2-0.
MWSU responded in the bottom of the fourth when Rachel Stewart reached on a fielding error, prompting the runner at second base to run home for the Griffons first run of the game. The Wolves came back and put themselves in a great position with the bases loaded, but a short ground out to first ended the half inning.
The action picked up again in the bottom of the sixth with two Griffons on base and no one out. However, a pop fly to the shortstop and a quick tag-out got the Wolves a double play, and Anderson was able to put away the last batter to avoid any trouble. Anderson managed to hold off for the one run win with an impressive day on the mound. In 109 pitches, she allowed just three hits, one run and recorded six strikeouts.
As the second game got underway, MWSU got off to a much better start, launching a triple to right center to bring in their first run. Later in the same inning the Griffons managed to load the bases as a hard hit double ripped past second base, bringing in another two runs before the Wolves could finally end the inning.
The Griffons piled on in the top of the third with a single up the middle, bringing in the runners on second and third base to put Northern at a 0-5 deficit. The long inning continued as a throwing error allowed a third runner to reach home.
The top of the fourth had a similar story as MWSU added on three more runs, bringing the score to 9-0. The Wolves managed to get some solid hits but were never able to capitalize as they dropped the second game of the series.
Standouts for the Wolves include
Madison Rutter, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the first game and 1-for-2 in the second game.
Kennady Thompson went 2-for-4 in the first game with a run batted in, and also went 1-of-2 in game two.
Up next, the softball team will travel to Winter Haven, Florida where they'll play 12 games between Mach 11 and March 17.
