JOPLIN, Mo. – Southeastern softballers split a pair in the Missouri Southern State-Pittsburg State Border Battle on a cold, cold Saturday.

Coach Ron Faubion’s club defeated Washburn (Kan.) 9-1 in the early game, started 90 minutes late in the 4 p.m. matchup and dropped an 8-5 decision to the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the team picked as the preseason choice to win the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship.

Southeastern is now 8-6 overall and was scheduled to meet Missouri Southern and Emporia State today to wrap up the tournament.

Faubion said, “I was more pleased with the loss to Nebraska-Omaha than the two games we won. We played much better. We’re getting better, we’re just so inexperienced as a team that we need more game time. We’re making errors, but they’re correctable and the kids are willing to work on their mistakes.

“We were ahead and behind and ahead against an excellent team and our kids never stopped battling. Nebraska-Omaha had a three-run inning in the top of the fourth when the two-hole hitter had a two-out double.

“Ashley Smith pitched the full seven innings and took a tough-luck loss. She struck out eight and walked only two. That’s hard to do against a good team. This was definitely a game we could have won.

“We could have run-ruled Washburn except for an error. Ali Manship did a good job as the starter. She went 3.2 innings and allowed two earned runs. Amanda Tanner pitched the last 3.1 to pick up the win. She gave up two hits, walked one and struck out three.”

Border Battle

LadyStorm 9

Washburn 1

SE scored a run in the first, two in the second, three in the third, one in the fifth and two in the sixth on 13 hits.

Washburn had two in the fourth and three in the seventh.

The Storm scored three runs on four hits in the third. Singles by Jennifer Morales, Cassy Tice and Courtney Walters, and a double by Morgan Miller did the damage.

Sharli Staab delivered a pinch-hit single in the sixth and scored on Amanda Tanner’s double. Morales doubled in the second run of the inning.

Tanner picked up the win in relief to run her record to 5-3.

Morgan Miller led the Storm with two for two, a double, one run scored and two batted in. Cassy Tice was two for three, a double, two runs scored and one RBI.

Jeana Keyes and Jennifer Morales were two for four each. Keyes doubled, scored twice and drove in one run. Morales had a double, scored one and had one RBI.

Nebraska-Omaha 8

LadyStorm 5

The Mavericks scored a run in the top of the first and Southeastern picked up two in second. N-O added a run in the third and SE again scored a pair to make it 4-2 after three.

The Mavs picked up consecutive hits from the six, seven, and eight-hole hitters with one out. A walk to the 9-hole set up the two-out double that drove in a pair.

N-O added a run in the fifth and two in the sixth before SE scored one in the bottom of the seventh.

Tice sparked the LadyStorm with two for three and her first home run, a line shot that jumped out of the park. Ryan Allen was two for four with her third homer, a solo shot in the seventh. Keyes, Tanner and Miller were one for three each. Tanner had two runs batted in and Miller doubled.

Smith pitched well enough to win, but took the loss and moved to 3-4 on the year.