Softball team sweeps doubleheader against Rangers

The UM-St. Louis softball team swept Wisconsin-Parkside on April 5. The Tritons won both games 2-1 and started a three-game winning streak. UM-St. Louis improved to a 12-16 overall record on the season after the wins

The scheduled home-opener for the Tritons was moved to Lindenwood University due to field conditions, but the Tritons did not let that stop them from playing.

The Tritons entered the game 3-5 in the GLVC, but the team brought that record to 5-5 after the victories in the doubleheader. Allyson DeFosset pitched the complete game for the Tritons and gave up only one unearned run on two hits. DeFosset faced 26 batters in the game and struck out eight.

Meagan Shimkus pitched the complete game for Wisconsin- Parkside and gave up two runs, one unearned, on 10 hits. Shimkus faced 36 batters and walked four in the game and struck out four.

Wisconsin-Parkside got on board first when they scored on an error in the fourth inning. The Tritons were not able to get on the scoreboard until the sixth inning when Kelly Essner scored on a single by Jessica Keim.

Essner finished the game 2-3 and Keim's RBI was her only hit of the game.

UM-St. Louis won the game in the eighth innings when Shimkus walked Megan Brussman to bring in Essner for the winning run. The Tritons were able to out hit the Flyers 10-2 in the game.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Rangers took the 1-0 lead in the fourth inning again. This time, Mandi Andrews hit a RBI double to right field to bring home Katrina Homa.

UM-St. Louis answered back in the fifth inning when Ja Cee Ellis hit a two-run homer to right center after Karey Kruse started the inning with a walk. The Tritons were unable to add to the lead in the inning and left three runners on base.

Kelley Essner started the game on the mound for UM-St. Louis and pitched four innings, giving up one earned run on five hits.

Essner struck out three batters in the game before Crystal Koehler was brought into the game for relief.

Koehler pitched 1.2 innings for the Tritons and picked up the win, giving up two hits, two walks and struck out one batter.

DeFosset was brought into the game and closed out the win for the Tritons, sitting down the last four batters and striking out one. DeFosset recorded her first save of the season.

Jessica Bryant picked up the loss for the Rangers as she pitched the complete game giving up two runs. Bryant gave up four hits in the game, three strikeouts and walked one batter.