COTTLEVILLE, Mo. — Wiley Lowry picked up a win and a save against St. Charles on Tuesday. Three Rivers College's No. 1 pitcher allowed three hits in an 8-3, complete-game win in the opener, then pitched the final three innings to get her first save of the season in the nightcap that the Lady Raiders won 8-7. "She threw really effectively the first game," Three Rivers coach Jeff Null said. "I just felt like it was our best chance putting her in there and holding on." It was the first time Lowry (6- 4) has appeared in relief this season. The sophomore allowed 10 total baserunners in the opener and had three strikeouts. St. Charles had runners on base in four innings, but never more than five batters in any one frame. The Cougars scored two in the fourth after a leadoff walk and an error, then tacked one more in the seventh with a leadoff single and an RBI groundout. No Cougar got more than two at-bats, and the top seven batters in the lineup were hitless. Lowry retired the side three times. In the nightcap, the Lady Raiders (11-14, 3-3 Region XVI) retook a 6-5 lead in the top of the fifth on runs by Courtney Slayton and Makayla Lamphier, before Null put Lowry back in the circle in place of starter Carleigh Burnett. Lowry gave up three hits in relief, all of them in the seventh inning. Three Rivers gave her some breathing room in the sixth. Leadoff hitter Randi Scruggs drew a walk, stole second, and scored on Morgan Ledure's single to left field. Lexi Morris then drew a twoout walk and scored on Lamphier's infield single. The Lady Raiders loaded the bases for Lowry, but she struck out to end the inning. Lowry allowed her first four batters to reach in the seventh, but the Lady Raiders got an out in a rundown between third and home, and caught another Cougar trying to steal third. Katie Fozzard brought St. Charles within a run with a twoRBI single to left, but was stranded on second base after a gameending comebacker to Lowry.

After working a double shift in Cottleville, Lowry has 66 1/3 innings on the season, nearly 20 more than any other Lady Raider, and a 4.64 ERA with 31 strikeouts. She is 4-1 in her last five starts, including two region wins. "Her changeup has really come along and it helps keep them off her fastball," Null said. Ally Hendricks hit her team-leading fifth home run of the season in the nightcap. Hendricks, who is batting .396 and also leads Three Rivers in slugging at .792, had a two-run shot in the second inning that scored Lamphier. Batting sixth, She was 4 for 5 in the doubleheader with three runs scored and five RBIs. She had a triple and two doubles in the opener, and also drew two walks. She did not reach base in two plate appearances on the day, and one of those was a sacrifice bunt. "She's getting good pitches to hit and she's not missing them right now," Null said. "I like the depth of our lineup with her at the No. 6 hole instead of us being top loaded. I think that is a good spot for her. She's not seeing many off speed pitches and she is just handling the ball right now." Ledure and Peyton Gunn also had three hits in the opener. Lamphier and Scruggs had three hits in the nightcap. Burnett (4-7) allowed six hits and a walk with three strikeouts to get the win in the nightcap. Three Rivers has now won 8 of 10 after starting the season 2-9. "I think our momentum is still going forward," Null said. "We are just going to keep building off it."