Grizzly Softball drops 3 games on the road
The Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly Softball team dropped three games over the weekend on the road.
They fell to Drury University 8-10 in Friday in Springfield then lost both contests against Williams Baptist University Saturday in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. The scores were 8-9 in the first game and 5-10 in the nightcap.
The Grizzlies fall exhibition season record now stands at 7-5-1.
Against Drury University
The Grizzlies started out hot against the Panthers and led most of the way, building up an 8-3 lead at one point during the contest. But Drury battled back and tied the game at 8-8 in the seventh inning. The Grizzlies gave up two more runs in extra frames, and the Panthers sealed the win in the 10th inning.
Sophomore infielder McKenzie Massey, Grandby, went two for four at the plate with two singles and an RBI. She scored two runs and stole three bases. Freshman infielder Zoey Williams went one for four at the plate with a single and an RBI. She also scored two runs and had a stolen base. Freshman pitcher Brooklyn Hasler, Ozark, recorded two RBIs in her at bats.
Freshman pitcher Jordyn Foley, Ozark, started the game. In four innings of work, she gave up four hits and two earned runs while fanning two batters. Freshman pitcher Kennedy Cogdill, East Prairie, went three innings from the mound. She gave up six hits and three earned runs and fanned one batter. Hasler finished the last two innings of the game. She gave up two hits and one earned run.
Against Williams Baptist
The Grizzlies dropped an extra-inning heartbreaker in the first game Saturday against Williams Baptist. After a hard-fought game that went back and forth, the Grizzlies lost on a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs.
Massey again helped lead the Grizzlies' offensive charge. She went two for four at the plate with a single and a double that knocked in two RBIs. She also scored three runs and stole one base. Freshman outfielder Lexie Gastineau also went two for four at the plate with two singles. She also scored two runs and had two stolen bases.
Williams went two for five at the plate with a single and a double. She picked up an RBI for her efforts and scored one run. Freshman infielder Alexis Funkhouser also went two for five at the plate with two singles and two RBIs. Freshman infielder Keeley Akers hit a single in four trips to the plate that brought in two runs. Foley hit a single in her three trips to the plate which brought in one run.
Foley picked up the loss from the mound. In eight and two-thirds innings, she gave up 11 hits and two earned runs while striking out seven batters.
Despite their best efforts, the Grizzlies couldn't bounce back from the heart-breaking loss in the second game of the day. Massey went two for three at the plate with two singles and an RBI. She also had one stolen base. Gastineau went one for three at the plate with a single and a run scored.
Hasler hit one single in two trips to the plate, picking up an RBI on the hit. Freshman outfielder Allisyn Vance, Reeds Spring, hit a double in her only trip to the plate. She picked up an RBI on the hit and scored one run.
Hasler went three and two-thirds innings on the bound, giving up six hits and six earned runs. Cogdill pitched two and one-third innings and allowed four hits.
Next up
The Grizzlies will host the Arkansas State University-Newport Aviators in a double header Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Hilburn Sports Complex next to West Plains High School off Howell Avenue.
For more information about the Grizzly Softball team, visit MSUWPGrizzlies.com or check out the team's Facebook page, Facebook.com/GrizzlySB.