BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. ­– The Missouri Baptist University softball team opened the 2020 campaign with a with victory before falling 3-1 in Game Two to tournament host Blue Mountain College. Friday's 2-1 win over Talladega College marks the first MBU victory in a season opener since 2014.
 
Game 1 – Missouri Baptist 2, Talladega (Ala.) 1
In a game where runs were hard to come by and the final lines were nearly identical for both teams, every detail mattered. The difference maker in the Spartans' 2-1 season-opening win? Strong pitching from veteran leader Delissa Dennison, a pair of extra-base hits and aggressive baserunning.
 
Missouri Baptist didn't wait long to score its first run of 2020. After sophomore shortstop Madalyn Bone reached on a walk in the bottom of the first, newcomer Allison Pingel recorded the first extra-base hit for MBU on an RBI double to right.
 
Despite the Spartans turning a double play in the inning, Talladega tied the ballgame in the top of the 4^th on an Ashleyn Lewis two-out, RBI single.
 
Amber Mobbs, who accounted for two of MBU's three hits against the Tornadoes, represented the game-winning run with a clutch leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth. The senior left fielder then stole third to put the Spartans in an extremely favorable position with just one out. Two batters later, fellow outfielder Cami Meddows brought Mobbs home for what turned out to be the game winning run.
 
Senior righthander Delissa Dennison delivered a stunning performance allowing just three hits and one run in 24 batters faced. After piling up 153 strikeouts in 2019, the Staunton, Ill. native struck out six Talledega Tornadoes.
 
Game 2 – Blue Mountain (Miss.) 3, Missouri Baptist 1
Game 2 wasn't as kind to the Spartans in the run column as they managed just one run on four hits against host Blue Mountain.
 
The Toppers got on the board first when Daly Dufrene knocked in Sydney Rogers on an infield single in the bottom of the 2^nd.
 
MoBap returned the favor with their next opportunity in the third frame. Rachel Galbraith reached base on balls and finally crossed home plate on a Katelyn Turbyfill two-out single to center. The 1-1 tie was short lived as Blue Mountain plated a pair of runs the next half inning. The two Topper runs turned out to be the final runs of the game.
 
The top of the 4^th was MBU's best chance at a rally, but left the bases loaded and came up empty. Stranded runners were a reoccurring theme in Game 2 as the Spartans left 9 on base in the loss.
 
Madalyn Bone, Katelyn Turbyfill, Amber Mobbs and Cami Meddows all registered one hit apiece. On the mound, Addison Rinderer went five innings giving up 8 hits, 3 run and 2 walks to go along with 3 Ks. Junior reliever Ally Dunaway came in to pitch one shutout inning at the end of the game.
 
The Spartans will see both teams again tomorrow with Blue Mountain scheduled for 11 a.m. and Talladega immediately following at 1 p.m.