Softball: Feb. 6 Scoreboard
Southland Conference
McNeese State 6, Florida Gulf Coast 4 (8)
McNeese State 3, Florida International 2
Southeastern Louisiana 10, Alcorn State 4
UIW 3, Tennessee State 2
Nicholls 15, Southern 0
Nebraska-Omaha 5, Nicholls 1
Lamar 10, Jackson State 2
Florida International 4, Lamar 3
Central Arkansas 7, Tennessee State 0
NC State 7, Central Arkansas 0
Stephen F. Austin 6, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 3 (8)
No. 9/10 Baylor 10, Stephen F. Austin 3
Wichita State 3, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2
Florida Gulf Coast 6, Houston Baptist 4
Eastern Kentucky 4, Houston Baptist 2
Long Beach State 4, Northwestern State 0
Sacramento State 4, Northwestern State 2
Missouri State 4, Abilene Christian 3
SIU-Edwardsville 8, Abilene Christian 0
Texas State 6, Sam Houston State 1
Pittsburgh 13, Sam Houston State 1 (5)
McNeese State 6, Florida Gulf Coast 4 (8)
McNeese State 3, Florida International 2
GULF SHORES, Ala. – McNeese softball opened the season in dramatic fashion with a 2-0 start and the Cowgirls gave first year head coach Joanna Hardin her first collegiate victory, and it’s one she will never forget.
“It was a fun day,” said head coach Joanna Hardin. “This is a special group of girls and it is only fitting that we started the season off this way. We want to be challenged and we want every game to be challenging.”
The Cowgirls opened the first day of the South Alabama Sand Dollar Classic with a 6-4 win over Florida Gulf Coast off the bat of sophomore Dakota Matiko, then capped the day off with a 3-2 come from behind win over Florida International on a pinch hit home run by freshman Morgan Catron. The long ball is Catron’s first of her career.
With the Cowgirls trailing 2-1 after two innings against FGC, the Cowgirls scored two runs in the fourth to take a 3-2. Matiko’s RBI ground out to short scored Taylor Goree and Hailey Drew doubled to left that scored Taylor Schmidt.
The lead didn’t hold up as FGC’s Chandler Middlebrook tied the game with a solo homerun in the sixth.
McNeese’s Jamie Allred got out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh. With the bases loaded with one out Allred throughout Kelsey Huff at home for the second. Middlebrook grounded out to first to end the threat.
The Cowgirls went down in order in the bottom of the seven then FGC took a 4-3 lead in the eighth, setting up the dramatic ending.
Tori Yanitor was placed on second base and Schmidt walked before Matiko hit the three run blast over the left field wall for the Cowgirl win.
Emily Vincent picked up the win in relief of Allred and Matiko led the Cowgirls at the plate with three hits.
The Cowgirls capped the day off with a 3-2 come from behind win over Florida International on a pinch hit two run home run by freshman Morgan Catron. The Cowgirls picked up five hits in the game but there was no bigger hit than Catron’s.
Sophomore Rachel Smith threw a complete game, giving up three hits and struck out nine.
McNeese will face Southern Miss at noon and preseason 23rd ranked South Alabama at 6 p.m. Saturday. The Cowgirls will conclude tournament play with a 1 p.m. game against preseason no. 3 Alabama on Sunday.
-
Return to top -
Southeastern Louisiana 10, Alcorn State 4
HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana freshman third baseman Sydney Booker drove in four runs to pace the Lady Lion softball team to a season-opening 10-4 victory over Alcorn State Friday evening at Chappapeela Park.
Southeastern (1-0) racked up 13 hits to back up a strong pitching performance by freshman Nicole Ayala. The Torrance, California native entered the game in the first inning and scattered six hits over 6.2 innings of relief, holding Alcorn State (0-2) to one unearned run and striking out four.
Booker, senior second baseman Vanessa Eng and senior first baseman Teresa Lemos each collected two hits for SLU. Booker, Lemos and junior centerfielder Katie Lacour, who extended her hitting streak to 12 games, each scored two runs, while sophomore outfielder Sloan Jenkins added two RBI.
Southeastern showed a new aggression on the base paths in the season opener. In 2014, the Lady Lions stole five bases as a team all season. Southeastern matched that total in the opening game of 2015, as Lacour swiped three bags, while freshmen Shelby Stewart and Peyton Stokes-Sutton each had a steal.
SLU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Lacour led off the game with a bunt single, stole second, advanced to third on a Stewart ground out and scored on a passed ball.
Alcorn State would briefly take the lead with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Southeastern reclaimed the lead for good in the top of the second inning. A bases loaded double by Booker plated two runs and the Lady Lions pushed the lead to 5-2 when ASU shortstop Alexandria Harris dropped a pop up by sophomore designated player Mychal Truxillo.
The Lady Lions padded their lead in the top of the third inning. Senior shortstop Megan Moore drew a bases loaded walk to extend the SLU advantage to 6-2.
Any chance of an Alcorn State comeback was thwarted in the top of the fifth inning, as SLU sent 10 batters to the plate. Booker’s second two-run double of the night scored the first two runs of the inning. Later in the frame, Jenkins roped a two-run single into right to give Southeastern a 10-2 lead.
Alcorn State was able to scratch across runs in the fifth and seventh innings, but never seriously threatened.
Southeastern will continue play at the Lion Classic I on Saturday, facing Nebraska-Omaha at 12:30 p.m. and Tennessee-Martin at 3 p.m.
-
Return to top -
UIW 3, Tennessee State 2
LAFAYETTE, La. – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team opened the 2015 season with a solid 3-2 win over Tennessee State on Friday at the Louisiana Classic hosted by University of Louisiana.
The Cardinals (1-0) got a strong pitching performance from sophomore Kristin Hebert (Humble/Atascocita HS). She had a shutout going through six innings before running into a little bit of trouble in the bottom of the seventh inning, but she was able to work through it to pick up the victory. She scattered seven hits and no walks while striking out three in the full seven innings.
The Cardinals took no time scoring their first runs of the season. Monique Miller (Hewitt/Midway HS) reached base via error in the top of the first inning and scored on a sacrifice fly. Later in the inning, Shelbi Swenson (Elgin/Elgin HS) cracked a solo home run in her first at bat in a UIW uniform.
UIW tried to break the game open in the fifth inning when they had the first three batters reach base. After one out, Mikaela Flores (Lockhart/Lockhart HS) brought in a run when she was hit by a pitch. Tiger (0-1) pitcher Amber Galyon worked her way out of the jam with a strikeout and a ground out to end the inning.
The Tigers scored both of their runs in the bottom of the seventh. They opened the frame with a single and a double scoring one run. A pop up followed by a UIW error put the potential tying run on base. Another single loaded the bags and it became a one-run game after a sacrifice fly by Savannah Womack. The Cardinals held on to the win when Hebert was able to induce Danica Gleason to ground out.
The Cardinals finished with six hits and eight runners left on base. Danielle Ramirez (San Antonio/Marshall HS) went 2-for-4 at the plate while Hebert walked twice and drove in a run.
Galyon was tagged with the loss for the Tigers after allowing six hits, three runs and three walks in 7.0 innings. Two of the runs were unearned and she had one strikeout.
The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday at Lamson Field with a 10 a.m. game against Central Arkansas and a 5:30 p.m. contest with Eastern Illinois.
-
Return to top -
Nicholls 15, Southern 0
Nebraska-Omaha 5, Nicholls 1
HAMMOND, La. – The Nicholls State University softball team opened up the season with a 15-0 mercy-rule victory over Southern before falling in the nightcap, 5-1, to Nebraska-Omaha on Friday at Chappapeela Park.
The Colonels had a comfortable 7-0 lead over Southern in the first game before blowing it wide open with eight runs in the fifth inning. Against Nebraska-Omaha, Nicholls let a 1-0 lead slip by in the last two innings.
Freshman Payton Gremillion and sophomore Haley Stevenson combined for eight of the Colonels’ 18 hits as Nicholls run-ruled Southern in five innings with a 15-0 shutout.
Nicholls jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Gremillion singles, stole two bases and came around to score on a sacrifice fly. Two innings later, a leadoff double by Gremillion made way for a RBI single by Kayla Prater. Jessica Taylor then drove in Prater with a double to give Nicholls a 3-0 lead.
In the fourth, Haley Parkerson brought home a run on a sacrifice fly before Danielle Phillips gave Nicholls a 6-0 cushion with a two-run double. The Colonels tacked on one more run to move closer to the mercy rule. An inning later, Nicholls batted around to plate eight runs to put the run-rule into affect.
Southern, which had only two hits in the loss, would go down in order in the bottom of the fifth to give Nicholls a season-opening victory.
The Colonels plated a run in the first and rode the arm of sophomore Jackie Johnson for the next four innings, but Nebraska-Omaha was finally able to crack the scoring column with a two-run homer in the sixth and the Mavs added three insurance runs in the seventh to knock off Nicholls, 5-1.
Johnson fanned 11 batters in the loss, allowing five runs on nine hits. Both offenses collected nine hits, with Gremillion and Parkerson leading Nicholls with two each.
The Colonels struck first in the opening frame as Phillips brought home a run on a groundout. Nicholls continued to manufacture hits, getting two in the third and fourth innings before recording three in the fifth, but could never add to the lead.
With only six more outs remaining, the Mavs quickly took the lead in the sixth when Tonya Peterson smacked a 2-run homer. In the seventh, Nebraska-Omaha used the long ball again, this time getting a 3-run shot by Allie Mathewson.
Nebraska-Omaha allowed a leadoff single in the seventh before retiring the next three Colonels for the win.
Nicholls will continue action in the Lion Classic on Saturday with games against Texas-Arlington (12:30 p.m.) and Alcorn State (3 p.m.).
-
Return to top -
Lamar 10, Jackson State 2
Florida International 4, Lamar 3
GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Lamar University softball team split a pair of games Friday on the first day of the Sand Dollar Classic to open the 2015 season.
The Lady Cardinals dropped a heartbreaking 4-3 decision to Florida International in their first game before roaring back to claim a 9-2 victory over Jackson State.
“I thought it was a good day,” Lamar coach Holly Bruder said. “We played very well against FIU, a team that is one of the best in Conference USA. We stayed focused and took care of business against Jackson State.”
In the opener, Lamar trailed 3-0 before scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie things up. Casey Cromwell’s two-run homer was the big hit for Lamar.
Florida International scored the winning run in the top of the seventh when Dominique Grossman scored on an Ashley Leon single.
Freshman Laura Napoli pitched a complete game for Lamar, allowing six hits and three earned runs, while striking out five.
“Laura was fantastic,” Bruder said. “We didn’t give her any run support early. But I was very impressed.”
Against Jackson State, Lauren Dannelley pitched 4 1-3 innings of hitless relief to get the win. Dannelley walked three and struck out four. Marissa LeJune had three of Lamar’s eight hits, while Ashley McDowell added two hits.
“I think the way we played today should give us some confidence,” Bruder said. “We have some tough games remaining this weekend, but we know we can play with these teams.”
Lamar has two games on Saturday; facing Liberty at noon and Southern Miss at 3 p.m. Lamar wraps up its weekend by facing Eastern Kentucky at 10 a.m. Sunday.
-
Return to top -
Central Arkansas 7, Tennessee State 0
NC State 7, Central Arkansas 0
Lafayette, La. – The Central Arkansas softball team opened the 2015 season at the Louisiana Classic in Lafayette, Louisiana on Friday. The Bears played two games on the day, taking down Tennessee State 7-0, and falling to NC State 7-0.
The Bears (1-1) opened the day against Tennessee State, getting on the board first thanks to an RBI triple down the right field line from left fielder Hannah Stirton.
Right fielder Briana Whisenhunt doubled to open the top of the seventh, and second baseman Sarah Bigej followed with a walk. Catcher Jessie Taylor capitalized for the Bears, roping a double to center field to put Central Arkansas up 3-0. Following a pitching change, the Bears loaded the bases with another walk and a failed fielder’s choice, before a pair of outs threatened to end the inning. Center fielder Amy Gunnells kept the inning going with an RBI walk to score Taylor, before back-to-back singles by third baseman Sam Forrest and Whisenhunt capped the lead at 7-0.
Taylor and Forrest each recorded a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs during the game, while Stirton picked up a game-high three hits.
Kylee Studioso (1-0) was in midseason form, allowing just a pair of hits to the Tigers (0-2) and striking out six. Savannah Womack (0-1) took the loss for Tennessee State, surrendering five earned runs on eight hits and seven walks, while striking out seven in seven innings. Jasmine Matchen gave up a pair of earned runs in the seventh.
In the second game of the day, the Bears fell victim to NC State (1-1), who opened the scoring with a run in the top of the second before adding a pair of runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings.
Stirton and Brianna McArthur were the only Bears to collect a hit off of NC State pitcher Courtney Mirabella (1-0), who struck out 14 and issued two walks over seven innings. Shivaun Landeros (0-1) took the loss for Central Arkansas, allowing seven runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts in four innings of work. Kayla Gomness was effective in relief, allowing just one hit and striking out five in three innings of work.
The Bears are back in action twice tomorrow. Central Arkansas will face off against Incarnate Word at 10:00 AM tomorrow morning, before facing ninth-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette at 12:30 PM.
-
Return to top -
Stephen F. Austin 6, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 3 (8)
No. 9/10 Baylor 10, Stephen F. Austin 3
WACO, Texas – Brittany Lewis launched a three-run home run in the eighth inning and tossed six hitless frames to lead the Stephen F. Austin softball team to an exciting 6-3 victory over Southland Conference foe Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday afternoon in the Getterman Classic hosted by Baylor. In the second game of the weekend tournament, the Ladyjacks fell to No. 10 Baylor 10-3.
The victory over the Islanders (0-2) is the first win in a season opener for the Ladyjacks (1-1) since the 2008 season.
With two outs, two on and the score knotted at 3-3 in the eighth inning, Lewis sent a three-run missile over the wall in left-center to give SFA a 6-3 lead over AMCC – its first of the game. Autumn Holloway, who started the inning on second, and Alisa Hamilton, who reached on an infield single, both scored on Lewis’ three-run blast.
Lewis was also dominant in the circle all afternoon in a relief appearance. She spun six scoreless innings without allowing a hit or issuing a walk. Lewis (1-0) struck out three batters and picked up the win after following her go-ahead homer with a clean eighth inning to finish the game.
The Ladyjacks erased a 3-0 deficit with a three-run sixth inning. Holloway lined a single into left field to plate Taylor Vick, Lora Blackwell touched home on an error and Heather Hollingsworth singled to first base to drive in Holloway during the inning.
SFA outhit Corpus Christi 13-5 in the game and got multi-hit efforts from Hollingsworth, Lewis, Katelyn Standley, Taylor LeFlore and Lindsay Campbell.
In the second game of the day, the Ladyjacks were in a dogfight with the No. 10 Lady Bears (2-0) for much of the evening. After falling behind 3-0, SFA answered with a pair of runs in the fourth. Hollingsworth and Taylor Fraccastoro drew walks and Lewis reached on an error to load the bases with one out. Standley then knocked a pinch-hit single to left field and Holloway drew a bases loaded walk to make it a 3-2 game.
The Lady Bears tacked on two runs in the sixth inning but the Ladyjacks were quick to respond in the bottom half. Fraccastoro led off the frame with a solo home run to trim SFA’s deficit to 5-3. The true freshman reached base safely three times on the night, scoring two runs in her first career start.
Baylor added five runs in the seventh inning and held on for the 10-3 win.
True freshman Callee Guffey (0-1) pitched the full seven innings and notched six strikeouts in her first career start for SFA.
The Ladyjacks will be back in action on Saturday morning against Wichita State. First pitch is set for 10:00 a.m.
-
Return to top -
Wichita State 3, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2
WACO, Texas – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team dropped a pair of losses on the opening day of the Getterman Classic at Getterman Stadium. Wichita State (1-0) used a three-run bottom of the third to edge the Islanders, 3-2, in the season opener before SFA (1-0) put together a late rally to garner a 6-3 win in eight innings in the second game.
The Islanders got on board first in the top of the third with a pair of runs after a trio of hits. Sophomore Mackinzee Griebel started the two-out rally with an infield single to third and junior Dani Tefft followed with a dropper to left field to put runners in scoring position for Mickayla Cochran. The senior reached on a fielding error by WSU's center fielder and Griebel came around to score. Wtih runners on the corners, Preseason All-Southland Second Team member Brittney Morse then stepped to the plate and drilled a RBI single to left field to score Tefft and give the Islanders a 2-0 lead.
The Shockers answered back in the bottom of the third with three unearned runs that resulted from a pair of Islanders' errors and three hits, to push ahead 3-2. Ashley Johnson reached on an Islanders' throwing error and advanced to second on the throw before scoring on a RBI single by Brittany Fortner. Cacy Williams who reached on an Islander fielding error before Fortner's single, scored on a wild pitch before Fortner plated the Shockers' third run of the game after a RBI single by Paige Mason through the right side. The Islanders pulled out of the frame after Carter recorded her second strikeout of the game and Hayley Galloway tossed it Cosette Hernandez for the force out at third.
Wichita State maintained the lead the rest of the game as hurler Katie Malone didn't allow any earned runs in seven innings.
Tefft led the Islanders with two hits, while Morse and Griebel each chipped in one.
Sophomore Liz Carter (0-1) suffered the loss for the Islanders in her 32nd career start. She is now just one start away from tying Greta Cecchetti's (2011-12) top-10 record of 33. The Austin, Texas native allowed six hits, one walk, and three unearned runs, while recording three strikeouts in six innings.
Malone (1-0) secured the win for the Shockers in seven innings. She limited the Islanders to four hits while recording seven strikeouts and two unearned runs.
The Islanders (0-2) will continue play tomorrow against No. 10/11 Baylor at 12:30 p.m. before beginning bracket play in the afternoon.
-
Return to top -
Florida Gulf Coast 6, Houston Baptist 4
Eastern Kentucky 4, Houston Baptist 2
GULF SHORES, Ala. – Freshman outfielder Nicole Shedd wasted little time making her presence known at the collegiate level, as she hit .500 (3-for-6) with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. HBU lost the first two games of the Sand Dollar Classic Friday, 6-4 to Florida Gulf Coast and 4-2 to Eastern Kentucky.
Against FGCU, Shedd went 1-for-3 with a run scored, while Shay Orsak went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Alyssa Burnett went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Junior transfer Laci Belovsky went the distance in the circle, as she allowed 11 hits, six runs, and two walks while striking out eight.
The 2-5 hitters did the most damage for FGCU, as Make McAvoy, Kelsey Carpenter, Chandler Middlebrook, and Alexis Ross combined to go 8-for-16 with five RBI and five runs scored. Ashley Dobson earned the win in the circle as she went 6.0 innings with five hits, four runs (three earned), and four walks with seven strikeouts. Taylor Wade tossed the final inning and allowed a hit and two walks while striking out one.
HBU took 1-0 and 3-1 leads, but both times, FGCU was able to tie the game up. Burnett hit a two-run double in the bottom of the third to give the Huskies a 3-1 advantage, but was answered in the top of the fourth with back-to-back two-out RBIs for the Eagles, as the teams entered the bottom of the fourth knotted at 3-all.
There was no scoring until the top of the sixth, when FGCU scored twice on a two-run homer by Middlebrook. The Eagles added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Victoria Granchelli led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run, which chased Dobson from the circle. Orsak followed with a single, then a walk by Shedd to put the tying run at first and the winning run at the plate. But Wade regrouped and got out of a bases-loaded jam with no other runs allowed.
Shedd went 2-for-3 with an RBI in game two against Eastern Kentucky, while Melissa Herman, Belovsky, and Libby Brown each had a hit. Emily Mueller took the loss in the circle, as she gave up six hits, four runs (two earned), and four walks with three strikeouts.
Paige Murphy led Eastern Kentucky by going 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored. Katie Tackett went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Hayley Flynn also went the distance in the circle, as she gave up six hits, two runs, and three walks with 10 strikeouts.
For the second-straight game, HBU drew first blood as Shedd’s RBI double brought home V. Granchelli in the top of the first. But that lead was short-lived, as the Colonels scored three times in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-1 lead.
EKU took a 4-1 lead on an RBI single by Tackett in the bottom of the third and the score remained that way until the top of the sixth, when Kay Schroeder was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, bringing home Herman. Flynn got a strikeout to end the inning, as the Huskies left the bases loaded.
HBU (0-2) plays twice Saturday: Liberty (0-1) at 3 pm and Jackson State (0-3) at 6 pm.
-
Return to top -
Long Beach State 4, Northwestern State 0
Sacramento State 4, Northwestern State 2
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Northwestern State put a scare into Sacramento State, placing two runners on in the bottom of the seventh inning, but fell 4-2 after losing 4-0 to Long Beach State earlier in the day at the season opening SoCal Collegiate Classic from the 49er Softball Complex.
“We looked like it was the first day,” seventh-year head coach Donald Pickett said. “We had a chance to compete in both games and we just didn’t make good plays. Offensively, we just weren’t as disciplined as we usually are and those teams took advantage of it. We just need to keep getting better each day.”
NSU (0-2) scored its first run of the season against Sacramento State (1-1) after three straight batters reached in the second inning behind a Brittney Jones single, Kaytie Proctor hit by pitch and Kayla Boening walk. Shortly later, a Sidney Salmans walk put NSU on the board and Micayla Sorosiak walk gave the squad its first lead of the year at 2-1.
After tying the game at two in the fourth, both teams remained scoreless until the seventh when the Hornets pushed home two runs on two singles and two hits by pitch. Salmans picked up her second hit of the day and Lady Demon career before Sorosiak walked but NSU could do nothing more in the bottom of the seventh.
In her first outing as a Lady Demon, redshirt freshman Micayla Bouvier tossed seven innings, allowing eight hits and three earned runs while striking out four. She also walked two and hit three batters while throwing 120 pitches.
Against Long Beach State, Northwestern State softball junior transfer Sarah Huey collected her first two hits as a Lady Demon, but Long Beach State scored two runs in each of the first two innings and never looked back, taking the game, 4-0.
“It was good to see our newcomers play like we think they can play,” Pickett said. “We’ve got the have more out of our returners. We need more consistent play from. The approaches weren’t there.”
NSU notched just three hits and threatened The Beach (2-0) only once in the sixth when the Lady Demons put runners on second and third with two outs after Natalie Landry reached on a fielder’s choice and Sorosiak doubled.
In the circle, NSU’s Bailey Gray scattered five hits over six innings but was ultimately doomed by five walks – three of which came in the first two innings.
Meanwhile, Long Beach starter Amanda Hansen was lights out, tossing seven innings allowing just three hits and striking out four. Five Long Beach hitters collected one hit a piece in the win.
Northwestern State returns to action against No. 22/21 Notre Dame on Saturday at one o’clock followed by a matchup against Cal State Fullerton at 6 p.m. The games will be held in Fullerton, Calif. at Cal State’s Anderson Family Field.
-
Return to top -
Missouri State 4, Abilene Christian 3
SIU-Edwardsville 8, Abilene Christian 0
RUSTON, La. – An early 4-0 deficit proved one run too many for ACU to overcome in its season-opening, 4-3, defeat against Missouri State Friday at the Lady Techster Invitational hosted by Louisiana Tech.
The Wildcats were held to two hits through 5.0 innings by Bears' starter Chelsea Jones before starting the sixth inning with a single to right center by freshman pinch hitter Holly Vanckhoven. She then motored to second on a one-out single by freshman left fielder Kristin Watkins but was gunned down at home by center fielder Erika Zimmer on shortstop Peyton Hedrick's third hit of the morning - a single up the middle.
But with Watkins and Hedrick still aboard, rookie third baseman Holly Neese crushed a three-run home run to left field to bring the Wildcats to within a run at 4-3.
Unfortunately, that's as close as the Wildcats would get. Jones was relieved by Kaitlin Beason following Neese's round-tripper, and Beason closed the game with two strikeouts in 1.1 scoreless innings pitched.
Emily Seidel tossed the second 7.0-inning complete game of her ACU career complete with a career high nine strikeouts, but couldn't escape jams in the third and fifth innings.
Missouri State put its first three runners of the third on base and received consecutive run-scoring hits from Sara Jones and Mary Stephens that put the Bears ahead 2-0.
In the fifth, Jones collected her third hit of the game, stole second and raced to third on a throwing error by the Wildcats' catcher. She then scored on an infield single to make it 3-0 Bears, and Rebecca McPherson followed with an RBI double to right-center field to plate the eventual game-winning run scored by Chelsea Jones.
The Wildcats lost game two of their double-dip, 8-0, to the defending Ohio Valley Conference champions Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in 5.1 innings.
The Cougars jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, tacked on one in the fifth, and closed the game with three runs in the sixth. The game-ending hit was delivered by Allison Smiley, who ripped a two-run double to right-center with one out vs. ACU starter Julia Montoya.
Smiley finished the game with five RBI.
Haley Chambers started and pitched 5.0 innings for SIUE, struck out seven, and allowed both Wildcat hits to ACU newcomer Kaleigh Singleton.
Sophomore Taylor Brown reached on a walk and stole second base.
The Wildcats return to action Saturday with a doubleheader against host Louisiana Tech and Louisiana Monroe.
-
Return to top -
Texas State 6, Sam Houston State 1
Pittsburgh 13, Sam Houston State 1 (5)
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Sam Houston softball team opened the 2015 season with a pair of losses in San Marcos Friday, falling to Pittsburgh 13-1 and Texas State 6-1.
The Bearkats are playing in the Hampton Inn and Suites Invitational hosted by Texas State.
Jessica Slater got the Bearkats off to a fast start in the opening game against Pitt. The senior center fielder singled, reached third on an error then scored on a single by junior second baseman Dani Allen to give Sam Houston an early lead.
But Pittsburgh pounded out 14 hits including three home runs and a double to score at least three runs in each of the first four innings.
Senior shortstop Sarah Allison and junior third baseman Peyton Webb produced the Bearkats only other hits.
Sarah King was the winning pitcher for Pittsburgh. Meme Quinn started in the circle for Sam Houston and took the loss. Tayler Atkinson and Amber Neal both pitched in relief.
Webb accounted for the Kats’ run in the second game with a sixth inning RBI double down the left field line. The hit scored outfielder Jennie Kieval who singled then advanced into scoring position on an error.
Bobcat pitcher Rachel Rupp allowed Sam Houston four hits for the complete game victory. Haley Baros was the losing pitcher for the Bearkats.
Catcher Tiffany Castillo led the SHSU women at the plate in the second game, going 2-for-3 with a single and a double.
Sam Houston plays Texas State again Saturday at 10 a.m. then faces Northern Illinois at 3 p.m. The Kats will wrap up their first tournament of the season Sunday with a 10 a.m. rematch with Pittsburgh.
-
Return to top -