Softball tops Austin on Saturday; Prevail in 8 innings before Game Two Route
SHERMAN, Texas – The University of Dallas softball team moved to .500 for the first time in a month and swept Austin College on Saturday afternoon. Dallas played eight innings for the sixth time this season and improved to 3-3 in such games with a 3-1 victory in the opener. A 10-2 decision in game two gave the Lady Crusaders at least a series split.
GAME ONE INFORMATION
Team Scores: University of Dallas (3), Austin College (1) (Final 8 Innings)
Team Records: Dallas (13-14, 8-5 SCAC), Austin (13-16, 3-10 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Lee (11-8), L) Herrera (4-10)
There was not a lot of offense on either side as the two sides each produced six hits total. Dallas only notched one RBI, which was an insurance run in the eighth inning. Two of UD's scoring plays came from hustling on the bases.
In the second inning, the Lady Crusaders went up 1-0 on a double steal from freshmen Samantha Laberge (Round Rock, Texas) and Melanie Savala (Bryan, Texas). Laberge took second and Savala raced home for the first run of the game.
Austin College tied the game with two batters clobbering hits to start the fifth. Chelsea Easley doubled and scored on Jaylin Clevenger RBI-single.
In the first extra frame, freshman Roma Thornton (Wharton, Texas) led off with a single. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Lyda Tesauro (Hollywood, Fla.). Thornton stole third and senior Erin Begle walked to put runners on the corner.
During the free pass, Begle raced to second forcing a throw from AC's pitcher. Thornton then took off for home and scored as the Lady Crusaders executed the second double steal of the game. Begle stole third for her second straight theft as UD swiped a season-high. Freshman Katie Antigua (Elk Grove, Calif.) lifted a sacrifice fly ball to bring Begle home.
Junior Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) eliminated a leadoff error by the third baseman by inducing a game-ending double play to secure her 11th win.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Freshman Tera Espinosa (Caldwell, Texas) led the Lady Crusaders with a 2-for-3 game. Thornton and junior Allison Kotlar (Edna, Texas) also had hits. Kotlar's knock was a double.
- Tesauro and Begle ended their career-long hitting streaks at 10 and nine, respectively. They did each reach base via a walk.
- Laberge drew the other two UD walks.
- 11 stolen bases for Dallas. Savala became the fifth player to tie the record with four, and Thornton had three. Espinosa added the other non-mentioned steal.
- Lee pitched eight innings and allowed a run on six hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
- Austin had two hitters with multiple knocks: Kylee Fowler (2-3) and Easley (2-3). Katherine Wright and Easley smacked doubles.
- Victoria Herrera also threw eight frames. She allowed three runs (2 earned) on four hits and walked four while fanning seven.
GAME TWO INFORMATION
Team Scores: University of Dallas (10), Austin College (2)
Team Records: Dallas (14-14, 9-5 SCAC), Austin (13-17, 3-11 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Parks (3-6), L) Wright (4-7)
In game two, the offense clicked much better for Dallas with a 10-run output off the strength of 12 hits. The road team also received help from four errors by the 'Roos.
Kotlar gave the Lady Crusaders a 2-0 advantage in the second inning by singling in Espinosa and freshman Keali Weatherford (Humble, Texas). The duo that scored reached on errors with two outs in the frame.
Austin College cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second by posting three extra base hits. A one-out triple from Delaney England started things, but she would be put out on a fielder's choice that had Espinosa throw her out with Clevenger reaching first. The next at-bat was Felicia Rivera, who doubled in Clevenger. The Maroon and Gold tied the game in the third inning.
Dallas would pile eight straight runs from the fourth inning on, and this included a three-run seventh to widen the gap. Savala doubled in Antigua in the fourth to give the Lady Crusaders the lead for good. Begle smacked a two-RBI single in the fifth. Four doubles in the seventh accounted for all the UD hits that frame, with Antigua and Weatherford driving runners in with one and two, respectively.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Savala produced her second 3-for-4 game of her career with two doubles, two runs scored, and an RBI. Other multi-hit UD players included: junior Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.), Begle, and Weatherford.
- Kotlar only had a hit, but drove in a game-high three runs batted in. Weatherford also scored twice and drove in a pair with Begle.
- Savala picked up two more stolen bases to give her 15 on the campaign and Weatherford added one.
- Six Lady Crusaders cracked doubles led by Savala's pair. Tesauro, Begle, Antigua, and Weatherford had the others.
- Freshman Paige Parks (Cedar Parks, Texas) threw seven innings and allowed two runs on 10 hits. She walked one and struck out two.
- AC's Wright and Rivera each had three hits with Rivera going perfect at the plate. Wright also pitched and went a complete game. She allowed five earned runs and struck out four.
UP NEXT
The series concludes tomorrow at 12 p.m.