Softball: April 22 Scoreboard
Southland Conference
McNeese State 3, Louisiana Tech 2
Houston Baptist 1, UTSA 0
Lamar 3, Jackson State 2 (8)
Texas State 5, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 4 (8)
16/13 Baylor 1, Sam Houston State 0
Louisiana-Monroe 3, Northwestern State 1
McNeese State 3, Louisiana Tech 2
LAKE CHARLES, La. – A pinch hit double by Morgan Catron in the fourth inning scored what proved to be the game winning run in McNeese’s 3-2 win over Louisiana Tech Wednesday in a non-conference softball game.
McNeese (30-18) pounded out 11 hits in the win and was led with three hits apiece from both Emily Vincent and Brooke David. Hailey Drew also ended the game with two hits and one RBI. Lauren Langner was also credited with a RBI.
McNeese took the early lead when Vincent scored on a single up the middle by Langner. The one run lead held up until the fourth inning when La. Tech (26-15) took a 2-1 lead in two hits. The lead didn’t last long as McNeese retook the lead in the bottom of the inning off four hits.
McNeese opened the inning up with three consecutive hits. Taylor Schmidt led the inning off with a double to left center followed by a single to right center by Drew that scored Schmidt to tie the game at two all. David then singled through the right side before both players advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Goree. On the play, David was tagged out at second after overrunning the base. Catron then hit her double to left center to score Drew for the go ahead run. It was the second game in a row that Catron collected the game-winning hit. She hit a grand slam in the ninth inning in the SLC series opener at Southeastern La. last Friday.
McNeese was scheduled to give work in the circle to Rachel Smith and Jamie Allred. Smith got more work in the circle than expected. After the fifth inning, Allred replaced Smith and completed the sixth inning. Allred was hit in the forehead by a line drive by the first batter she faced in the seventh and was replaced by Smith who completed the game.
Things got a little interesting in the seventh after Karlee Jensen led the inning off with that single off Allred’s forehead. Smith, who didn’t have time to get warmed up after replacing Allred, walked the first batter she faced then gave up a single to Tori Charters to load the bases with no outs. Smith got Anna Cross to pop up to third for the first out and got La. Tech’s cleanup hitter Pauline Tufi and top hitter Bianca Duran to go down swinging for the final two outs to end the game.
Smith improved to 10-5 on the year with the win after giving up two runs on six hits, seven strikeouts and walked three.
McNeese will conclude its home schedule this weekend with a three game Southland Conference series against Lamar. The series will begin with a 6 p.m. single game Friday before concluding with a 3 p.m. doubleheader Saturday. Seniors Bianca Lilly and Lauren Langner will be honored prior to Saturday’s games.
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Houston Baptist 1, UTSA 0
HOUSTON, Texas – HBU softball rode the arm of junior pitcher Laci Belovsky, as the Huskies shut out visiting UTSA, 1-0, Wednesday afternoon from Husky Field.
The win was the first over the Roadrunners since a 6-0 win in San Antonio on April 18, 2012.
Belovsky (8-11) pitched a gem, holding UTSA to three hits while tying a career high with eight strikeouts. She struck out eight Florida Gulf Coast batters back on Feb. 6. She put the Roadrunners down in order twice and struck out the side in the top of the second.
Kay Schroeder, Libby Brown, and Michaela Granchelli each had a hit to lead HBU (11-27). Brown had the lone RBI while Melissa Herman scored the game’s only run.
Leadoff hitter Kendall Burton had all three hits for UTSA (30-15), going 3-for-3. Megan Low, with 15 home runs on the season, did not have an official at-bat as she was walked three times. Belovsky got three Roadrunners to strike out twice.
Chelsea Parker (8-4) took the loss in the circle as she allowed three hits and one earned run in the complete-game effort.
UTSA threatened in the top of the first, with runners at first and second with one out, but the Huskies got a fielder’s choice and a fly out to end the inning unscathed.
After getting the Roadrunners out in order to start the second inning, Herman began the bottom half of the inning being hit by a pitch. She advanced to second on Belovsky’s sacrifice bunt, and to third on Schroeder’s single to center. With runners on the corners, Brown laid down a bunt that not only allowed Herman to cross home, but the speedy Brown was safe at first to give HBU a 1-0 lead. UTSA was able to get a pop up and a fielder’s choice to end the inning without further damage.
UTSA’s best chance to score came in the top of the third as, with runners at first and second with two outs, Vivian Tijerina just missed hitting a three-run home run, as she hit it off the end of the bat and flew out to deep center field to end the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Belovsky helped her own cause by grabbing back-to-back ground balls and getting force-outs. With a pinch runner at second base, Belovsky got Taylor Oberg to strike out swinging.
HBU returns to Southland Conference play hosting Central Arkansas Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25. April’s doubleheader begins at 2 pm, while Saturday’s single game starts at noon.
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Lamar 3, Jackson State 2 (8)
BEAUMONT, Texas – A strong combined pitching effort from Lauren Dannelley and Laura Napoli proved to be the tonic the Lamar Lady Cardinals needed in a 3-2 win in eight innings over Jackson State in a nonconference softball game Wednesday.
Dannelley and Napoli combined on a four-hitter as the Lady Cardinals (22-20) overcame a sluggish offensive performance.
"Lauren and Laura were definitely the heroes tonight," Lamar coach Holly Bruder said. "We needed a solid effort from them, and that's exactly what we got.
Dannelley pitched the first five innings, allowing two hits and two runs, one earned, as she did not factor in the decision Se struck out two and did not walk a batter. Napoli (16-12) pitched three scoreless innings of relief to move within one win of the single-season school record.
The Lamar offense was held in check by Jackson State starter Kelsey Townsend (15-11), who limited the Lady Cardinals to just four hits. All three Lamar runs were produced without the benefit of a hit.
Lamar scored two runs in the first inning when after a hit and a walk Sable Hankins' line drive deflected off the glove of the center fielder for a two-base error as Shannon Sain and Stephanie Meeuwsen scored.
Jackson State scored single runs in the first and second innings, and the game stayed tied at 2 until the bottom of the eighth.
Meeuwsen started the inning on second as the game used the international tie-breaker rule. Hankins sacrificed Meeuwsen over to third before scoring on Brynn Baca's slow roller to second. The Jackson State infield came home on the play, but Meeuwsen slid in before Jackson state catcher Ashley Neal could apply the tag.
"That's not the way I drew it up, but I'll take it," Bruder said. "I was hoping for a fly ball in that situation, but we still got the job done."
It was the first-ever extra-inning game at the Lamar Softball Complex, and Bruder wouldn't mind if it's a while before she sees another one.
"It's not easy on the nerves," Bruder said. "We didn't play our best game, but I think we may have been a little rusty. This was our first game in a week."
Victoria Nelson had two hits for Jackson State (22-24).
Lamar returns to action this weekend with a three-game Southland Conference series at McNeese State. The Lady Cardinals enter the weekend in fourth place in the conference with a 12-6 mark.
Lamar and McNeese State are scheduled to play a single game at 6 p.m. Friday and a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Saturday. Lamar is at Houston for a nonconference doubleheader on April 29 before closing out the regular season by hosting Nicholls in a three-game conference series May 1-2.
"We have six conference games remaining, and they're all important," Bruder said. "We know we have to play better than we did tonight. We have to do a better job making adjustments at the plate."
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Texas State 5, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 4 (8)
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team dropped a 5-4 heartbreaker to Texas State tonight in eight innings. After falling behind 4-0, the Islanders rallied back in the top of the sixth with the help of sophomore Brittney Morse, who cranked her first career grand slam to tie the game at 4-4. However, a walk-off home run by the Bobcats (26-19) in the bottom of the eighth lifted the home team to victory at the Bobcat Softball Stadium in non-conference action.
It marked the third extra-inning game of the season for the Islanders (15-25-1) who tallied six hits in the game. Morse and sophomore Mackinzee Griebel both finished 2-for-3 to lead the Islanders' bats while junior Dani Tefft and senior Mickayla Cochran each added one hit apiece.
Texas State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. After a leadoff single to left field and a walk, Kimberlin Naivar advanced the Bobcats to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. Kendall Wiley then scored on a wild pitch for the first run of the game. Lexi Fryar followed with a RBI double to left field to score Taylor Webb, who drew a walk, to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.
Morse recorded the Islanders' first hit of the game in the top of the fourth after she ripped a two-out single to right center.
The Bobcats extended their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth with two runs on two hits. After a one-out walk, Kortney Koroll hit a two-run home run over the right center wall. Wiley followed with a double down the left field before a walk put Bobcats on first and second. However, the Islanders pulled out of the frame with a fly out to left field.
The Islanders then rallied back in the top of the sixth with four runs on three hits to tie the game at 4-4. Griebel started things off with a single through the left side before junior Cosette Hernandez reached on a fielder's choice as Griebel was called out on the play. The Islanders then put runners on first and second with one out after freshman Ashleigh Perez came in to pinch hit for Tefft and drew a walk. Cochran kept the momentum going with a single to center field to load the bases for Morse. The sophomore then stepped to the plate and cranked her first career grand slam over the left center wall to tie the game. It marked Morse's eighth home run of the season and her 16th of her career to place her in a tie in fifth place all-time in the Islanders' career records.
With neither team able to push any runs across in the seventh, the two battled in the eighth and with one out, Sara Rupp sent a solo home run over the left field wall to give the Bobcats the victory.
Junior Stephanie Flores (4-8) took the loss for the Islanders in the circle. She allowed seven hits, five runs and seven walks while striking out two in 7.1 innings.
The Islanders will now head to Abilene, Texas to take on Abilene Christian in a three-game Southland series. The Islanders will play a doubleheader against the Wildcats on Friday, April 24, before finishing the series on Saturday, April 25.
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16/13 Baylor 1, Sam Houston State 0
WACO, Texas – Baylor pitcher Kendall Potts limited Sam Houston to three hits as the Bears edged the Kats 1-0 in non-conference softball game at Getterman Stadium in Waco Wednesday.
Left fielder Jessica Slater, catcher Tiffany Castillo and right fielder Sarah Allison accounted for the Kat hits. All were singles. Allison reached third base after a passed ball but was left stranded in the second inning. Slater reached third in the sixth after Castillo’s hit but a double play ended the threat.
Right fielder Kaitlyn Thurman scored Baylor’s only run in the bottom of the fifth inning. She reached base on a single and later scored on a throwing error.
Potts faced 25 Bearkat batters in her seven innings of work, striking out four. Tayler Atkinson started and pitched the first five innings. Haley Baros threw in the bottom of the sixth inning in relief.
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Louisiana-Monroe 3, Northwestern State 1
MONROE, La. – Kellye Kincannon was a home run shy of the cycle, notching a perfect 3-for-3 day, but the remainder of the Northwestern State softball squad accounted for just two hits and ULM claimed a 3-1 non-conference win on Wednesday evening.
The loss snapped NSU’s (28-15) seven-game win streak, which began on April 4. The Lady Demons, who maintain a 2½-game lead on Central Arkansas with six games remaining in Southland Conference play, return to league action this weekend in Nacogdoches, Texas, against Stephen F. Austin.
“It’s going to take a lot better effort than we got tonight,” seventh-year head coach Donald Pickett said. “We’re going to have to come to play. We’re going to have to bring a lot more energy to what we were doing tonight in order to win.”
After missing seven games due to injury, redshirt freshman pitcher Micaela Bouvier made her return, tossing 55 pitches, including 31 for strikes, over three innings while allowing one run, four hits and one walk.
“I thought she did well for the first time back in a couple weeks,” Pickett said. “She gave us some good innings. We were in the game. We had here on a pitch count on her going in and I thought she did great.”
Skylar Cagle (3-2) drew the loss for NSU, going just 1-3 of an inning, allowing two earned runs, hitting two batters and walking a pair. Shelby Sells tossed the final 2 2-3, allowing two hits and a walk while fanning one.
The Lady Demons took a 1-0 lead in the third helped by Warhawk (27-15) miscues. Hailee Rhodes led off the frame with a single and advanced to second on a Sidney Salmans’ fielder’s choice. After Kincannon walked, Cassandra Barefield reached on a ULM misplay at third. Then, Brittney Jones put NSU on the board, reaching on a fielding error by the shortstop to plate Rhodes.
ULM tied things up with an infield single, stolen base and liner up the middle in the home half of the third. One inning later, the Warhawks needed just one hit to plate two runs, helped by two hits by pitch and a pair of walks in the frame.
NSU put a runner aboard in each inning prior to the seventh, but the squad left nine on base in its final midweek matchup. ULM starter Melanie Coyne (11-9) was dominant, going the distance, scattering five hits and allowing just one run while striking out three and walking two.
Sidney Coy led the way for the Warhawks, finishing 2-for-3, swiping two bags and scoring one run. ULM finished with four stolen bases.
“We couldn’t put anything together,” Pickett said. “We couldn’t make adjustments and if you can’t do that you’re not going to win.”
Northwestern State and SFA get underway with a doubleheader on Friday at 1 p.m. The squads close out the series on Saturday with a single game scheduled for the same time.
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