Wild Pitch Advances UTSA Past Sam Houston State in Southland Softball Tournament
LAKE CHARLES, La. ? A bases loaded wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning scored UTSA freshman Amber Anderson giving the No. 3 seed Roadrunners a first-round win over Sam Houston State in the 2009 Southland Conference Softball Tournament.
“It was a good game all the way around for both teams. We were behind and came back and our kids didn’t quit. We had some great at bats against Brandi Crnkovic, she’s a tough veteran pitcher, so to come out and beat Sam Houston is a big win for us” said UTSA Coach Lori Cook.
UTSA senior Leanne Risberg, a first-team all-conference outfielder, put the Roadrunners on the board early with a solo shot to deep left center field, her sixth homerun of the season.
Sam Houston State senior catcher Casie Everitt evened the score at 1-1 with an RBI single to left field scoring senior Kendra Spivey.
In the top of the fifth inning Sam Houston junior Amy Brown drew a walk and second-team all-conference shortstop sophomore Hailey Wiginton doubled to left center field giving the Bearkats two on with one out. Whitney Wilson, a third-team all-conference second baseman gave the Bearkats a 3-1 lead driving in a two-run double to right center field.
UTSA answered in the bottom of the fifth inning as freshman and RBI team leader Amber Anderson singled through the left side scoring two runs tying the score 3-3.
Down 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, UTSA freshman Ashley Kappler singled to left field and Anderson followed with a single up the middle giving the Roadrunners two on with one out. Pitcher Danye Holmes drew a walk to load the bases and Risberg singled through the left side to tie the game at 4-4.
Sam Houston pitcher Crnkovic’s next throw was in the dirt and skipped past the catcher to the backstop scoring Anderson, giving UTSA a 5-4 win.
UTSA sophomore pitcher Danye Holmes recorded five strikeouts and picked up her 13th win of the season to improve to 13-10.
With the win UTSA will play later today against tournament host McNeese State. The Cowgirls swept the Roadrunners earlier this season in Lake Charles, La.
“They are a very good team, obviously we struggled against them earlier this season dropping all three games. Bethany Stefinsky throws the ball very well defensively they are a solid team. We’re going to have to play our best” said Cook.
With the loss Sam Houston will play Friday at 11 a.m. in game five against the loser of the Texas State, Stephen F. Austin game.