NORMANDY, Mo. – The Maryville softball team saw its second-straight split in Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) play, falling 4-3 in game one to the UMSL Tritons, before unloading a six-run frame in the night cap to split the day.
Game one saw UMSL trail until the bottom of the sixth where they plated two on a homer to take a late lead, one they did not give up. Game two was the Saints' turn to issue a comeback, scoring six in the top of the fourth, all on homers, to erase a 5-0 deficit.
GAME 1 | UMSL 4, Maryville 3
The Saints and Tritons traded runs early, as UMSL plated one in the first, with Maryville responding with their own in the top of the second off a
Marley Williamson RBI double. UMSL, in the bottom half of the frame retook the lead on an RBI single.
Jeanna Kosnoff equalized in the top half of the next frame, taking an 0-1 pitch yard, to even out the scoreboard.
Cora Boyle leveled in the circle it out from there, tossing three zeros on the board, while
Laila Ruiz worked a bases-loaded walk in the fifth to get the Saints their first lead of the day.
The bottom of the sixth saw a single and a homer chase Boyle out of the ballgame and give the Tritons back the advantage. Despite getting the tying run to second in the top of the seventh, Maryville could not equalize, falling in the matinee.
GAME 2 | Maryville 8, UMSL 6
Game two saw the Tritons pick right up from where they left off, plating five and chasing the Saints' starter out of the game before she could get six outs.
Mia Maxel came into the game in relief, shutting down the Tritons.
The bats would pick up the pitching staff in the top of the fourth, as after a lead off
Emily Erb walk,
Miranda Bondurant went yard to cut the lead to just three. That home run was Bondurant's fourth of the season. Not to be outdone, Kosnoff took the lead, tallying her second bomb of the day, this one with the bases loaded to give the Saints a 6-5 lead.
Maxel kept tossing up zeros in the circle from there, striking out two in the bottom of the fifth, with the offense giving her some wiggle room thanks to
Mandi Lenon's two-run single, leaving it 8-5.
The Tritons chipped away at Maxel, hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, but Maxel shut it down in the seventh, tallying another strikeout on her way to the win, her third of her career.
UP NEXT
The Saints head to Bolivar, Mo., on Saturday, April 4 for a twin will with the Bearcats.
