JOPLIN, Mo. – The Central Missouri Jennies (29-13, 12-6 MIAA) split a doubleheader with No. 11 Missouri Southern Lions (37-7, 12-4 MIAA) winning game one by a final score of 7-5, on Friday, April 17, from Pat Lipira Softball Complex in Joplin.
 
The last time the Jens beat a top-15 team on the road was March 29 of last year when UCM took game two of a doubleheader with No. 8 Rogers State by a final score of 5-2 in Claremore, Okla.  
 
The Jens continue MIAA play on Saturday, April 18, as they take on No. 2 Pittsburg State Gorillas (41-2, 13-1 MIAA) for a doubleheader, with first pitch of game one slated for 1:00 p.m. from Pittsburg State Softball Complex in Pittsburg, Kan.    
 
 
Game 1: Central Missouri 7, No. 11 Missouri Southern 5
After a lead-off single from Marisa Johnson in the visiting half of the second, Lexi Blackmon gave the Jens a 2-0 lead, scoring off a sacrifice bunt resulting in a pair of Lion errors.
 
With runners on second and third with one out in the top of the third, Johnson's RBI single added an insurance run before Blackmon plated an RBI with a single to left field, making it 4-0 UCM.
 
Missouri Southern cut the lead with a trio of runs in the ensuing half inning, but the Jens answered with a solo shot of the bat of Taylor Thompson, her team-leading 14^th of the season made it 5-3.
 
After a sacrifice fly from the Lions in the bottom of the frame trimmed the Central Missouri lead to one, Jadyn Sheffield returned the favor in the top of the sixth, making it 6-4 Jens.
 
With one out and Johnson on second base in the seventh, Cydney Fullerton's RBI single into right-center field made it a three-run lead that would not waver as Bailey Brumley (9-3) earned her ninth victory of the season in the circle, while Riley Bebb picked up her third save.
 
 
  
Game 2: No. 11 Missouri Southern 4, Central Missouri 3
In the doubleheader finale, the Lions opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the third and added another in the fourth.
 
With two on and one out in the top of the sixth, the Jens trimmed the lead with aggressive baserunning that forced a throwing error by the first baseman. Fullerton followed suit with an RBI bunt single that tied the ballgame.
 
After a Lion pitching change, Kyrsten Moran's RBI sacrifice fly gave the Jens a 3-2 lead. Missouri Southern tied the game with a run in the bottom of the frame, before winning the game with a run in the seventh.
 
Bebb (4-4) suffered the loss in the circle, while Fullerton's multi-hit ballgame paced the Jens offensively.