Softball drops Fall Ball Games to Southwestern Assemblies of God

Softball drops Fall Ball Games to Southwestern Assemblies of God

IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas Softball team fell in a pair of contests against Southwestern Assemblies of God on Saturday. This wrapped up the fall ball portion of the Crusaders' season, and neither contest counts towards the spring regular season record.

Dallas dropped the first game on the afternoon in a 13-3 decision. The Crusaders allowed a 3-run third and would trail 5-0 before ending the shutout bid. Melanie Savala (Bryan, Texas), who went 2-for-3 overall, tripled to start the bottom of the 4th and scored on a singled on a hit through the left side by Baylee Leifester (Belton, Texas).

The Crusaders countered a pair of runs SAGU had etched in the 5th inning as Allison Kotlar (Edna, Texas) and Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.) reached on consecutive singles to start. The senior duo each scored to cut the deficit to 7-3.

In the second game of the twinbill, a pitcher's duel took place throughout the first four and a half innings. SAGU's Rachel Ray had hurled a perfect game through three, but Allie Driskill (Houston, Texas) ended that bid with a hard single back up the middle. Dallas did not score despite placing a pair of hits that frame.

In the fifth, the Crusaders rounded out their hit total by matching the previous inning's total of two. A pair of miscues, including a throwing error by the catcher that went into the outfield trying to get an advancing Leifester, lifted the home team to a 3-0 advantage. Leifester earned an RBI that scored pinch runner Britin Strobel (Parker, Colo.). Mackenzie Tano (Wylie, Texas) and Leifester scored unearned runs on that same infield dribbler that was misplayed on two throwing attempts.

Dallas was unable to keep the opposition from regaining the edge, as the Lions nipped the deficit with three runs in their next turn to bat. After taking the lead 4-3 in the seventh, a two-run homer by Cheyenne Fults completed the scoring and secured the win.

UP NEXT

Dallas prepares to rest for the remainder of the semester and is excited to gear up for the 2017 season. A four-game home stand opens with two against Ottawa University on February 4. All news for the Crusaders can be found on udallasathletics.com.