JOPLIN – Drury University softball settled for a split on the first day of the Teri Mathis-Zenner Memorial Tournament. The Panthers opened the day, with a 12-1 run rule victory over Nebraska-Kearney, but fell to Northwest Missouri State, 7-4.
The Panthers move to (6-8), with Nebraska-Kearney (1-16), and Northwest Missouri State (6-6).
Kaelie Smith got what was a big day of Panther scoring started, with a sacrifice fly in the first to score
Kari Hillenburg. A Lopers error in the second allowed
Miki Andrus to add to the DU run total.
An eight-run sixth inning for the Panthers would put the game completely out of reach. RBI singles from
Dominique Salinas,
Kelley Conway and
Abbey LeJong made it 5-0 DU. Kearney continued to struggle to get Panthers out, as an RBI hit by pitch, and a two RBI single by Smith, made it 8-0. Capping off the monster inning of scoring was an RBI single by Salinas, with
Marissa Ross also coming around to score on the play.
Kearney got on the board with an RBI sacrifice fly in the fourth, but the Panthers run ruled them, with an RBI walk by Hillenburg, and an RBI groundout from Smith.
Jessica Kjeldgaard (3-5) threw five innings to earn the win, and walked none, while recording five strikeouts. Meg Housholder (0-9) allowed seven of the Panthers 11 hits in 2.2 innings to receive the loss.
In the nightcap, Kaitlin Weis hit a two-run homer in the opening inning to give Northwest Missouri State an early edge.
The Bearcats made it 3-0 in the top of the second, when Karli Allen singled up the middle to score Jessica Rawie. A big Panther third inning would even the score up at 3. RBI singles by
Samantha Dockweiler and
Rachael Michaelis, and a Northwest error, led to DU runs.
In the third, it was Weis again, who would come through with an RBI single to put the Bearcats on top 4-3. Andrus singled to left to bring Smith across in the Panther third, to make it 4 all. A three-run homer in the sixth, by Abiga Gilson, sealed the victory for Northwest.
Weis, went 4 for 4, scored two runs, and had four RBIs to lead the Bearcat offense, which finished with nine hits. Andrus went 2 for 3, with an RBI, and Salinas went 2 for 3 and scored a run.
Holly Posegate (4-2) posted three strikeouts and allowed four runs, while walking none to earn the win.
Destiny Bolen (3-3) received the loss, and had five K's in 5.1 innings, with Kjeldgaard finishing out the final 1.2 innings.
Drury will take on Northeastern State at 10 a.m., before facing host Missouri Southern at 12 p.m. Sunday at the Teri Mathis-Zenner Memorial Tournament.
