Texas State Blanks Northwestern State in Southland Tournament
No. 3 Texas State 8, No. 6 Northwestern State 0 (6 inn.)
HUNTSVILLE, Texas - The No. 3 seed Texas State shutout the No. 6 seed Northwestern State (8-0) in a six inning decision in game two to advance in the 2011 Southland Conference Softball Tournament in Huntsville, Texas.
Texas State junior pitcher Chandler Hall recorded her 14th win of the season in a three-hit shutout, her fourth of the year.
Texas State got going early with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Senior designated player McKenzie Baack, a first-team all-conference selection, singled up the middle scoring sophomore Haley Lemons who reached on one of two Northwestern State errors in the inning. In the second inning, senior Lindsey Matt singled to left field, later stole second base, and in a bizarre play, moved to third base after a throwing error by the catcher and then scored the Bobcats second run of the day after another throwing error by the center fielder.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, senior Jenna Emery singled through the left side and was followed by sophomore Anna Hernandez with an RBI double putting the Bobcats up 3-0 after three innings. Texas State stayed consistent as Hall helped her own cause driving in her 20th RBI on a hot-shot single to left field scoring freshman Coralee Ramirez for a 4-0 Bobcat lead after four innings.
The Bobcats put the finishing touches on their run rule victory with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore Haley Lemons gave Texas State a 5-0 lead with an RBI single to right field scoring Matt who had reached base earlier with her second hit of the day. Emery later reached on a fielder's choice to score Hall and the final run was scored on a failed tag attempt at home base to seal the win for Texas State.
Texas State has now won at least one game in seven of the last eight tournaments.
Texas State advances to play the No. 2 seed UT Arlington at approximately 10:30 this evening.
Northwestern State junior Kelee Grimes moves to 11-8 on the year as the Lady Demons will face the loser of the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, McNeese State match up in an elimination game, Friday at noon.
Post Game Quotes
Texas State Coach Ricci Woodard
"I think that this was a case of us being ready to play Northwestern State after having played them last weekend. We did some things well and were able to pick up some pitches that we were looking for. We came out ready to play. I think experience had something to do with the game. He’s (NSU head coach Donald Pickett) got a bunch of young kids playing in the conference tournament for the first time, but I think the errors definitely hurt them in the ball game as well. We came out ready to go
and a few errors early cost them the ball game."
Texas State Junior Chandler Hall
"I felt that we were in the zone tonight. We were able to stay focus and everyone was working really hard tonight and staying in the game. I think overall we did a great job."
Northwestern State Coach Donald Pickett
"I think we played not to lose, instead of play to win. We made mistakes we haven't made all year. We gotta be able to make plays, we have to understand what type of environment we are playing. Texas State has been here time and time again, and it showed today that we haven't. Their experience showed and we didn't have the experience to respond and handle the pressure. When things got bad, they just snowballed on us, and we couldn't get anything going. Hopefully tomorrow, we will come back out here tomorrow and see what kind of character our team has and, hopefully, grab a win and take it one game at a time."