ST. LOUIS – [Game One Box] [Game Two Box] The Missouri Baptist softball team picked-up a doubleheader split against Lyon College today. The Spartans dropped the first game of the twin bill, 4-1, which snapped a 4-game winning streak. MBU responded with a 3-1 victory in game two.

Missouri Baptist (6-4, 3-1 AMC) was slowed-down at the plate in terms of extra base hits, but still managed to smack 16 hits over the two contests.

In game one, the Spartans jumped to a 1-0 lead in the 1^st inning. Kelsey Snider led off the inning with a single to third base and moved to second on a stolen base. Payton Anderson moved Snider to third on a fly out to right field and she scored on a double to left-center off the bat of Mikala Torrence.

Sophomore Andrea Chessor held the Scots scoreless until the 6^th inning. Lyon plated two runs on two hits and one MBU error to take a 2-1 lead. Spartan centerfielder Mikala Torrence sprinted in on a 2-out line drive with two runners on. On the sliding attempt, she was unable to make the snag, allowing the two runs to cross home plate.

Missouri Baptist nearly responded in the bottom-half of the inning. The Spartans put runners on first and second with two outs, but an inning-ending ground out halted the momentum.

Lyon extended the lead with two more runs on four hits in the top of the 7^th, to take a 4-1 lead.

The Spartans were unable to get anything going in the 7^th and took the defeat, 4-1.

Mikala Torrence led the Spartans with a 2-for-3 performance. She smacked a double and walked once.

Dee Dee Peters added two hits in four at-bats.

Sophomore Andrea Chessor took the loss in the circle. She tossed 6.0 innings and allowed two unearned runs on five hits. Chessor struck out three batters and did not walk a batter in 83 pitches.

The dog fight continued in game two, as both teams were held scoreless for the first three innings.

Lyon took the first lead of the game in the top of the 4^th with a run on three hits off of senior Jena Trombley.

Missouri Baptist seemed to have received the spark they needed in the bottom of the 4^th when Torrence rifled a triple down the right field line with one out. Andrea Chessor followed with a walk, setting-up first and third for Dee Dee Peters. This is where the game took a huge turn. Peters squared for a bunt, pulled her bat back on an inside pitch and the ball grazed her stomach. Pinch-runner Darrian Chrzanoski took off for second on an attempted stolen base. The catcher cleanly caught the pitch, fired to second, which sent Torrence towards the plate to score. A collision at the plate ensued and Torrence was tagged out. Not only was Peters not awarded first on the hit by pitch, Torrence was tagged out at home due to the catcher blocking the plate. Head coach Craig Walston protested the call, which lasted for nearly 30 minutes. Walston protested that Torrence was forced to run around the catcher blocking the plate, which resulted in her being tagged out. The umpires decided that the call would stand and the Spartans were left without scoring the tying run.

In the bottom of the 5^th, Mariah Randazzo led off the inning with a single to second. She moved to second on a wild throw from the catcher and moved to third on Lexi Gray's sac bunt. Pinch-hitter Donyelle DeMarse singled-home the tying run on a line drive to left-center, scoring Randazzo.

The Spartans scored the run they needed in the bottom of the 6^th. Mikala Torrence led off the inning with a line drive homer to right, her first long ball of her MBU career. Peters reached on a one-out walk and moved to second on a sac bunt from Randazzo. Lexi Gray gave the Spartans an insurance run with a single through the right side, which scored Peters.

Lyon started the top of the 7^th with a single, but Trombley retired the next two Scot batters. The next Lyon hitter poked a single to center, putting the tying run on base, but Kelsey Snider tracked down the final out in right to end the game.

Mikala Torrence and Corey Pitchford led the Spartans with two hits apiece. Torrence added a triple and home run.

Jena Trombley earned the complete game victory. She allowed just one earned run on seven hits. Trombley struck out five batters and walked just one to earn her 2^nd win of the season.

The Spartans will be back at it on Monday, when they host Benedictine College in a non-conference doubleheader.