(Joplin, Mo.) – After dropping the first game 6-0, the Central Missouri Jennies softball team salvaged a split with a 7-4 victory in game two against Missouri Southern on Friday evening at Lea Kungle Field in Joplin, Mo.
      Sophomore Ashlea Bengtson and senior Kelli Kurka led the Jennies with three hits each. Bengtson was a triple short of the cycle in the two games, also collecting three RBI and two runs scored. Kurka had a double and three RBI.
      The Jennies will be back in action on Saturday against Pittsburg State at 2 p.m. from Pittsburg, Kan.
 
Game 1: Jennies 0, Missouri Southern 6
      Missouri Southern scored one in the first inning, four in the fifth and one more in the sixth for the victory. The Lions kept all but one of Central Missouri's runner from getting to third base. The Jennies were outhit 15-4 in the game and also left six runners on base to the Lions 11.
      Bengtson, sophomore Brandi Campbell, and juniors Nicole Norberg and Brittany Martin all tallied singles in the contest.
      The Lions scored their first run, in the first frame, on a single to right field with a runner on third. Then in the fifth, MSSU sent nine batters to the plate tallying six consecutive hits for four runs. Later in the sixth, Missouri Southern added one more run on four singles.
      Junior Lacey Dixon threw the first four innings, suffering the loss in the circle. She gave up five runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out two. Senior Jamin Landreth pitched the final two innings of relief, giving up one run on six hits. She also struck out one batter.
 
Game 2: Jennies 7, Missouri Southern 4
      Central Missouri took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning and then added four more runs in the fifth before giving up three in the sixth. Both teams recorded one run in the seventh.
      The Jennies outhit MSSU 10-8 in the game and also left seven runners on base to the Lions 11.
      In the fourth frame with two on and one out, Kurka doubled down the right field line that scored both runners. Then in the fifth, UCM sent nine batters to the plate for four runs off four hits. Kurka and senior Kasey Martin both had one RBI while Bengtson collected two in the frame. Bengtson then added one more on her fourth home run of the season.
      Missouri Southern batted around in the sixth, scoring its three runs off three hits. Then in the fourth the Lions added one more on a RBI groundout.
      Kurka led the Jennies with three hits, one a double. Bengtson had two hits, a home run and a double. Both also had three RBI while Bengtsn also collected two runs scored.
      Sophomore Megan Schallom collected the win, her fifth of the season. She gave up four runs, all unearned, on eight hits, walking four and striking out four.