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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Russellville, Ark. - The Missouri Southern softball team went on the road to open the 2008 season and came away with a split against Arkansas Tech University, today. The Lions won the opener, 2-1, but fell in the nightcap, 6-3. Southern (1-1) received a superb pitching performance from freshman Tara Kuykendall in game one. The lefty from Edmond, Okla. went all seven innings, allowing just five hits and one earned run, while striking out four in the process. Tech (7-3) got on the board first in the opener when the Golden Suns picked up a run in the fifth. With one out, Shanda Jimeson singled to center. Kuykendall struck out Sarah Pratt for out two, but a triple from Terra Brenner scored Jimeson for the game's first score. The Lions answered right back with two runs in the sixth. With one out, Kelli Bax doubled to left center. Amanda Godfrey then singled up the middle, scoring Bax and advancing to second on the throw. Angie Turner then singled down the left field line and Godfrey scored from second to give the Lions a 2-1 lead. Kuykendall was perfect for the final two innings to earn her first victory of her collegiate career. Godfrey and Andrea Childs both had two hits for the Lions. Southern started strong in game two, scoring two runs in the second. Julie Taylor singled to start things off and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Taylor then stole third and after a walk to Trish Washburn, scored on a fielder's choice. Bax would add a single later in the inning to score Washburn. The Lions added another run in the fifth when Turner doubled to right center to kick things off. She advanced to third on a fly ball from Megan Roark and scored after an error from the centerfielder on the same play. The sixth inning didn't prove to be kind to the Lions as Arkansas Tech scored all six of its runs in that frame alone en route to the 6-3 win. Turner had two hits in the game, with a run scored. Taylor and Bax had the Lions' other two hits. Tamika Barnes started for Southern and went five and a third, before Kuykendall finished the final two outs. The Lions will be back in action this
weekend when they travel to Bentonville, Ark. for a pair of twin bills
against Arkansas-Monticello.
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