The Truman State softball team went 3-1 over a road weekend, sweeping a doubleheader at Southwest Baptist on Saturday before splitting at Drury on Sunday. Truman improves to 17-27 overall and 9-11 in the GLVC.

Saturday, April 18 at Southwest Baptist

Game 1: Truman 11, Southwest Baptist 5

The Bulldogs built an early lead and held off a Southwest Baptist comeback attempt to take the opener.

Truman got on the board in the second inning when a pair of Southwest Baptist errors allowed Maddie Hickman to score, and Emily Wood followed with a two-RBI triple to center to make it 3-0. Cassie Smith led off the third with a solo home run, and two more runs scored on a series of fielder's choices and errors to push the lead to 6-0.

Southwest Baptist cut into the deficit in the fifth, with a Howard walk-in run and an Elsea RBI single making it 6-2. The Hawks then pulled within three in the sixth on a Howard three-run home run to make it 8-5.

Truman answered emphatically in the seventh. With the bases loaded, Kyleia Salyars doubled to right center for three RBI to score Lydia Feiste, Maddie Hickman, and Avaree Taylor and set the final at 11-5.

Emily Wood went 3-for-4 with a triple, a home run, and four RBI. Kyleia Salyars drove in three runs. Jayda Long earned the win (9-6), pitching 4.2 innings.

Game 2: Truman 22, Southwest Baptist 1

The Bulldogs put up one of their biggest offensive performances of the season in the nightcap, plating 10 runs in the first inning alone and cruising to a run-rule victory in five innings.

Truman sent 14 batters to the plate in the first inning. Katie Pilcher drove in the first run with an RBI single, and Maddie Hickman followed with a two-RBI single to make it 3-0. Madison Kluever added an RBI single, Kyleia Salyars singled home another run, and then Madison Kluever stole home while Kyleia Salyars was stealing second to push the lead to 6-0. Cali Coombs capped the inning with a two-run home run, and the Bulldogs added three more runs before the frame was over on RBI hits by Cassie Smith, Katie Pilcher, and Shanna Buford to make it 10-0.

Avaree Taylor led off the second with a solo home run, and Kyleia Salyars homered in the third to extend the lead to 12-0. Katie Pilcher added an RBI double in the fourth to make it 13-0, then Truman erupted again in the fifth with eight more runs. Kyleia Salyars hit her second home run of the game, a two-run shot, as part of the outburst, with Shanna Buford adding a two-RBI double and Madison Kluever contributing a two-RBI single as well.

Southwest Baptist scored its only run in the bottom of the fifth on a Titus RBI single.

Kyleia Salyars finished with four RBI and two home runs. Madison Kluever earned the win (3-9), allowing no runs over four innings.

Sunday, April 19 at Drury

Game 1: Drury 3, Truman 1

Emily Wood gave Truman an early lead in the opener with a leadoff home run to center field in the first inning, and the Bulldogs carried that 1-0 advantage into the fifth.

Drury responded with a three-run fifth inning, all coming on a Bax three-run home run to left field that scored Palmer and Trower to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead. Jayda Long kept Drury off the board the rest of the way, but Truman's offense could not answer, and the Bulldogs dropped the opener.

Jayda Long took the loss (9-7), allowing all three runs on five hits over six innings. Jordyn Foley went the distance for Drury, earning the win (11-8).

Game 2: Truman 1, Drury 0

Madison Kluever delivered one of her best outings of the season in the finale, throwing a complete-game one-hitter to shut out Drury and earn the split.

The lone run of the game came in the sixth inning. Cassie Smith doubled to right center and scored on an RBI single to center by Katie Pilcher to give Truman the 1-0 lead. Kluever made it stand up the rest of the way, finishing with six strikeouts and allowing just one hit over seven innings.

Kluever earned the win (4-9). Kaley Adzick took the loss for Drury (8-9).

Up Next: 
The Bulldogs will host Missouri S&T and Lincoln as part of alumni weekend, bringing together men's soccer, baseball, and softball for the weekend festivities. Senior day is scheduled against Lincoln with the usual doubleheader schedule of noon and 2:00 PM for each of Saturday and Sunday. Make sure to come and support the six Bulldog seniors: Cassie Smith, Emily Wood, Lydia Fieste, Cali Coombs, Brooke Nutter, and Kyleia Salyars. 

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