Softball 3/10/2012 5:37:00 PM Tyler Madsen, Truman Athletics

Bulldogs Settle for Split in MIAA Opening Doubleheader

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Season Statistics

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - The Truman softball team opened MIAA play with a split on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Kirksville, defeating Lincoln (Mo.) University 6-4 in the opener before suffering a 3-2 setback in game two.

The Bulldogs (10-11, 1-1 MIAA) built a 6-0 lead in the opening game with single runs in the second, third and fourth innings before a three-run fifth. Mary Manley got the ball rolling with an RBI single in the second before Corey Niblett singled, advanced to second on a throwing error, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball in the third. Katie Pitts came across on a Meredith Kusky RBI single in the fourth, while the 'Dogs got a gift two-run dropped fly ball error in the fifth for two more. Manley then followed through with her second RBI single of the day later in the fifth for Truman's six-run cushion.

Lincoln would battle back in the sixth, scoring four, but Kelsea Dorsey (7-2) closed out the inning with back-to-back strikeouts before inducing a pair of groundouts and another strikeout in the seventh for the final tally.

Game two was a scoreless battle for four innings before LU pushed across two in the fifth on an RBI double to take a 2-0 lead. The Blue Tigers appeared ready to break it open in the sixth, loading the bases with nobody out, but Ashley Rotkvich – on in relief of starter Kirsten Krause – got out of the jam without allowing a run. Truman promptly got a leadoff single in the bottom half from Kelsey Bollman before Bridget Schade ripped her sixth homerun of the season to tie the game at two.

The Blue Tigers would score the eventual game-winner in the top of the seventh on a squeeze play with one out. Truman would have Corey Niblett on second with two outs in the bottom half, but as Kelsey Bollman legged out an infield single, Niblett was tagged out on a close play at the plate trying to score at the unoccupied base. Rotkvich was hit with the loss in relief, while Starr McLeod pitched a complete game for LU (5-13, 1-3 MIAA).

Truman had its season-high four-game winning streak snapped with the loss, as Bollman led all players with three hits, with both Niblett and Liz Leath adding two apiece.

The Bulldogs also announced a schedule change on Saturday, postponing Sunday's previously-scheduled nonconference doubleheader with Lindenwood to April 10 at 2:00 pm due to pending inclement weather in Kirksville overnight and into Sunday. Truman heads to Maryville (Mo.) on Tuesday (March 13) for a 2:00 pm doubleheader in St. Louis.

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