From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
WARRENSBURG, Mo. — Purdy High School graduate Megan Leonard fired a one-hitter as Central Missouri blanked Missouri Southern 2-0 Saturday afternoon.
The Jennies (22-8, 6-0 MIAA) belted two home runs while posting a 12-5 victory to complete the doubleheader sweep and retain a share of the conference lead with Missouri Western.
Leonard (11-1), a senior who played two years at Crowder College before joining the Jennies, fanned 12 and walked two. Leonard, who tossed a no-hitter and struck out 11 against the Lions last season, lost this bid when Megan Roark singled to right with one out in the fifth.
Lions left-hander Tara Kuykendall (4-4) yielded seven hits and one earned run, walked three and struck out two.
The Jennies scored on an error in the first inning and Krista Cummings, two-out home run, her third of the season, in the fourth.
Missouri Southern (13-24, 3-3) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap. Breanna Volkmann and Trish Washburn singled with one out, and Roark hit an opposite-field, two-run double to left-center.
Whitney Clute retired Central Missouri on four ground balls and two strikeouts in the first two innings, but the Jennies had six hits during a six-run third inning. Tarese Ely-Myers’ bases-loaded tied the game, and Kelli Kurka followed with a three-run homer to center, her eighth of the season. Nicole Norberg’s single scored the final run of the inning.
The Lions whittled the deficit to 6-5 in the fourth, scoring three runs after two were out on Natalie Nelson’s RBI double to left and Andrea Childs’ two-run double to left-center.
But Ely-Myers hit a two-run homer down the left-field line in the bottom of the inning to give the Jennies an 8-5 lead, and Cummings’ three-run double to right-center spiced a four-run sixth.
Washburn and Roark had two hits apiece to lead the Lions’ nine-hit attack.
The Lions journey to Missouri S&T; for two games Tuesday afternoon before returning to conference play at home against Emporia State at 2 p.m. Friday and Washburn at 1 p.m. Saturday.
