PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Central Missouri Jennies (6-9, 0-2) dropped a pair of games against No. 16 Pittsburg State Gorillas (22-2, 2-0) falling by final scores of 4-2 and 10-4 on Saturday afternoon from PSU Softball Complex in Pittsburg, Kan.
The Jens return to the diamond on Sunday, Mar. 10, as they continue MIAA play with a doubleheader on the road against the Missouri Southern Lions (18-5, 2-0) with first pitch of game one scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from the Pat Lipira Softball Complex in Joplin, Mo.
Game 1: No. 16 Pittsburg State 4, Central Missouri 2
The Gorillas opened the scoring with a run in the first and second innings before adding a pair in the third. In the top of the sixth inning, catcher
Taylor Thompson cut the lead in half hitting her team-leading third home run of the season, this one a two-run shot (scoring
Lexi Blackmon) but PSU was able to hang on for the win.
Senior
Sadie Parks tossed four innings allowing just two hits and struck out one in relief of
Brooke Weimer (3-3) who suffered the loss in the circle as four Jens collected hits in the contest including Thompson,
Breanna Newton,
MaKenzie Cooper, and
Halle Howes pacing UCM offensively.
Game 2: No. 16 Pittsburg State 10, Central Missouri 4
The Jennies took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to RBI singles from
Abby Allnutt (scoring
Jadyn Sheffield) and Cooper, but PSU responded with a run in the bottom of the inning. With two outs in the top of the third, Newton hit a solo shot down the right field line (her first as a Jen) as UCM held a 3-1 advantage.
The Gorillas responded with seven runs in the third before junior
Hayden Serna delivered with a pinch-hit RBI double to right-center field in the sixth as Pittsburg State captured their 22
nd victory on the season. Two Jens recorded multi-hit performances on the afternoon including Allnutt who went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish, plating a run and scoring once as Blackmon went 2-for-4 in the contest scoring a run as well.
