KIRKSVILLE -- The Truman Softball team ended the MIAA Crossover tournament with a victory over Pittsburg State (3-2) and a tough 7-6 extra inning loss to rival Central Missouri on Sunday. The Bulldogs will be back in action on Wednesday at Quincy University.
The Bulldogs went 3-2 over the course of three days while Erica LaCombe led the team with a .500 batting average (7-of-14) with two doubles and three RBIs.
vanGennip had two home runs and six RBIs while throwing 15 innings and striking out 19 hitters. She had a no-hitter on Friday against SBU.
Ashley Rotkvich picked up the win and Richelle vanGennip got the save as the Bulldogs held on for a 3-2 victory in the first meeting with the Gorillas in 2010.
vanGennip put Truman on the board in the first inning with single to drive in both Alex Weber and Laura Miller.
Pitt got a run back in the second but Meredith Kusky drove in Erica LaCombe in the third that held up as the game winner.
The Gorillas added a run in the sixth before vanGennip was summoned from the bullpen and struck out four of the seven batters she faced for her second save of the season.
Both teams were leaving runners on base through the first four innings before the Jennies broke the scoreless game when Jessica Marble hit a three-run home run off vanGennip.
The Bulldogs exploded for a six run sixth inning with the biggest blow coming from vanGennip and a two-run homer to center.
Marble homered again in the bottom of the seventh to close the game to within one run and the Jennies were able to put across the tying run on a wild pitch with two outs in the frame.
In the ninth, playing the tie-break rules of placing a runner on second, Kasey Martin singled in Marble for the winning run.
Truman stranded 12 while the Jennies left 10 on base.
Beth Schnurbusch was tagged with the loss while Sarah Espy was the winning pitcher for the Jennies.
(Courtesy Truman State Athletic Department)