ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - A solid pitching performance led the University of Mary Softball team to a win in the first game of day two at the Apple Market Classic against Missouri Southern State University this morning, but the long ball handed the Marauders a loss in the second game in the afternoon against Pittsburg State University.
 
The Marauders (6-12) capitalized on a late error against the Lions (14-18) for the 6-2 win, but the Gorillas (21-6) got a pair of home runs in the first two innings for the early lead and coasted to an 11-3 decision as U-Mary had to settle for the split on the day.
 
GAME ONE U-MARY vs MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE
 
The Marauders didn't let a solid pitching performance from MeLanie Rodriguez go to waste in the first game of the day as they took advantage of a late Lion miscue to come away with the win at 6-2.
 
Missouri Southern owned the early lead, though, as Taurean Guzman notched the first run on a wild pitch in the top of the second inning while Sarah Williams recored a solo shot in the top of the fifth for a 2-0 lead, but the sixth inning ultimately became the deciding factor in the contest.
 
Demaree Rodriguez led the inning off with a single to left field and was followed up by a double to the left center field gap from Taylor Mendez for two runners on and nobody out. After a groundout from Amber Gamboa, Shawnee Zink took advantage of an error by the third basemen to load the bases for U-Mary with one out in the inning.
 
Kylie Alto go the scoring started as she drew the walk to bring in Demaree, which was followed by another walk issued to Colleen Crutchfield to bring in Mendez that tiee the game at 2-2. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Alexandra McDermott gave U-Mary the lead on a single back up the middle that brought in Zink and Alto, and made it to second base on the throw back into the infield for runners at second and third with two out and a 4-2 score favoring the Marauders.
 
Alana Norman followed up with a single to the shortstop as she beat the throw, all while allowing Crutchfield to score for a 5-2 lead, and McDermott recorded the sixth run of the game as she scored on a wild pitch during Demaree's at bat for a 6-2 U-Mary lead heading into the seventh.
 
MeLanie took over from there as she forced a fielder's choice ground ball from the second Lion batter and ended the contest on back-to-back groundouts to give the Marauders their first win in the Apple Market classic at 6-2.
 
Alana Norman and Taylor Mendez both recorded two hits in the game as Norman notched two singles, two stolen bases and one RBI, while Mendez added two doubles and one run scored.
 
MeLanie Rodriguez took the complete game win for U-Mary to improve her record to 3-6 while allowing only six hits and two runs to go with three strikeouts and one walk issued.
 
GAME TWO U-MARY vs PITTSBURG STATE
 
Unfortunately, the Marauders would not have the chance to capitalize on any late-game errors from the Gorillas as Pittsburg State notched a grand slam and RBI double in the first inning, couple with a three-run shot in the following inning, for a commanding 8-0 lead heading into the bottom half of the second before U-Mary could muster a response.
 
The Marauders chipped away at the lead in the bottom of the second as Lex Hubbard sent a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Zink, while Mendez singled in the bottom of the third to bring in Demaree to cut the lead down to 8-2.
 
Alas, Pittsburg State got the runs back, and then some, on another RBI single, a defensive miscue on U-Mary's behalf, and a wild pitch for an 11-2 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. Demaree recorded another run during the Marauder's half of the fifth as she took advantage of Gamboa reaching on an error, but the lead proved too much to overcome as the Gorillas took the shortened contest at 11-3.
 
Taylor Mendez was a perfect 3-for-3 in the game as she recorded all singles to go with her lone RBI, while Demaree Rodriguez added two singles of her own along with one run scored.
 
Taylor Lara took the loss in the game to put her record at 2-4, while Brieann Backes came in relief and notched a pair of strikeouts.
 
The Marauders will wrap up their trip to the Apple Market Classic tomorrow as the start times will be moved back two hours from the original schedule start. The first game of the final day against Washburn University will start at 1 PM CDT, while the second game against the University of Central Oklahoma will begin at 3 PM CDT.
 
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