TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Lady Blues used a three-run rally in the second game in their final at bat to salvage a split of an MIAA doubleheader with Missouri Southern on Friday at the Washburn Softball Complex as Washburn fell in the opener 9-5 before coming back for the 11-10 win in the second game. Washburn (8-20, 4-8 MIAA) will return to play on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they host Pittsburg State.

Missouri Southern (19-17, 7-7 MIAA) scored three in the first inning with two coming courtesy of a two-out error, but the Lady Blues trimmed the lead to one as they scored two in their first at bat in the bottom of the frame. Katie Schroeder led off the game with a walk and later scored on an RBI single by Shelby Erickson who moved to second on the throw home trying to get Schroeder at the plate. Lauren Thimmesch drove Erickson home with a single. The Lions added one more in the third inning capitalizing on a two-out walk to take a 4-2 lead. The Lady Blues tied the score with a two-run homer by Deidra Jones knotting the score at 4-4 after Washburn's at bat in the bottom of the fourth. The Lions would break open the game with five runs in the fourth inning capped by a three-run homer by Brooklyn Farrell pushing the Lions out to a 9-4 lead. Neither team would score until Alex Zordel picked up an RBI single scoring Haylee Marsteller who reached on a fielder's choice but it would be all the runs Washburn would score.

The Lady Blues stranded 14 base runners in the first game as five different players had one hit for Washburn. Thimmesch took the loss giving up six earned runs and striking out three.

In the nightcap, the first three innings were a pitcher's dual as the teams combined for one hit. In the fourth inning, the Lions scored four times with the final three coming as unearned runs as a two-out error by Washburn opened the flood gates as Michala Wood connected on a three-run homer putting the Lions up 4-0. Washburn cut the lead in half with a two-run homer by Thimmesch, her team-high sixth of the season.

In the fourth, the Lions picked up a solo run, but Washburn took the lead at 6-5 after five innings as the Lady Blues took advantage of a Lion error. Schroeder had an RBI double scoring Lauren Byrn who reached on the throwing error by the Lions. Zordel cleared the bases with a two-out double down the right field line scoring both Schroeder and Marina Quimby who walked.

The Lions would go up 10-8 as they added five runs in the top of the sixth as they sent nine batters to the plate. In the seventh, Zordel led off the inning with a walk and Shelby Erickson walked brinning Thimmesch up to bat. Thimmesch reached base with an RBI single after her potential walk off home run was ruled foul by the umpiring crew. Jones then came to bat with no outs and her single up the middle scored both Erickson and Thimmesch who moved up a base after back to back wild pitches by the Lions for the game winner and the 11-10 victory.

Quimby improved to 2-11 in the circle while throwing 143 pitches in the game striking out four allowing seven earned runs. After stranding 14 in the first game, Washburn left only four with the fourth one coming as the game ended with Jones on second base. Eight different Lady Blues had hits in the game led by Thimmesch, Jones and Amanda Kirkhart who each had two. Thimmesch had three RBI in the game and Scroeder, Zordel and Jones each recording two RBI.

For the doubleheader, Kirkhard was 5 for 7 with a runs scored and Jones finished 4 for 6 with 4 RBI and two runs scored. Thimmesch had 4 RBI while scoring three runs and Zordel finished with 3 RBI.