The Missouri Southern softball program got its final regular season sweep taking out Missouri Western 4-3 and 3-2 today inside the Pat Lipira Softball Complex.
The Lions (28-13-1, 19-6-1 MIAA) swept the Griffons (27-17, 16-10 MIAA) for the first time since the 2017 season and also achieved the most wins in the MIAA in school history besting the 17 wins in the 2001 season. Southern also has the greatest number of wins this year since the 2002 season in which they won 34.
Currently in third place the Lions are locked into a top-three finish and will host a best of three game series against an opponent yet to be determined Friday May 7. This is also the highest finish for the Lions since winning the MIAA regular season title in the 2001 season.
In game one both teams got a run in the first inning as Ashlynn Williams singled home Josie Tofpi. The Griffons scored two in the top half of the third inning to take a 3-1 lead.
Kara Amos got the Lions on the board in the bottom half of the third inning singling through the left side to score Leighton Withers. Williams tied it up in the fourth reaching on a fielder’s choice to score Makaila Leonhart. Williams played the hero as she singled to right center to score Tofpi and seal the 4-3 win for Southern.
In the game Williams went 3-of-4 with three RBIs, Amos picked up the other RBI as she and Tofpi each had two hits, Withers also set a single-season record with her 12th hit-by-pitch of the season beating Kelley Hale’s (1998) total of 11. Amos also picked up her ninth win of the season pitching 4.1 innings of shutout relief and struck out four batters.
Game two began with the Lions getting on the board once again in the first inning as a Withers double to left center scored Tofpi. The Griffons answered back in the second inning scoring to tie it up 1-1.
In the third inning the Lions defense caught a Griffon runner on third attempting to steal home as Leonhart cut off a Williams throw to second firing back at Williams to get the runner out at home.
Williams in the bottom half of the third inning hit her fifth triple of the season to score Withers and Tofpi to reclaim the lead that the Lions wouldn’t relinquish.
In the fourth inning the Griffons scored a run to put it 3-2 in favor of the Lions, before loading the bases with no outs. Yazmin Vargas had a line drive hit to her for the first out before getting the double play at home gunning down the runner from third base, as the Lions defense again rose to the challenge today.
In the game Williams had two-RBIs, Withers had an RBI, Tofpi finished 2-of-3 scoring twice. Abbey Gann pitched four innings of one-hit shutout ball picking up the win and halting the Griffons in the comeback attempt.
Next up for the Lions is the MIAA Tournament that they will be partaking in for the first time since the 2017 season. Make sure to keep up to date by checking in at www.mssulions.com and on our social media platforms on who the Lions will be playing and when first pitch will be later this week.
