Tano's hustle sparks 4-3 Win in Game 2 for Softball; Split Saturday
IRVING, Texas – Mackenzie Tano (Wylie, Texas) ignited the University of Dallas softball offense with a two-out triple in the 4th inning of game two on Saturday. She later scored on a passed ball to start a streak of four unanswered runs. The right fielder would score the eventual game-winning run two frames later to help the Crusaders split with Schreiner University on Saturday in a 4-3 final. This came after losing the series opener 6-0.
GAME 1 INFORMATION
Team Scores: Schreiner University (6), University of Dallas (0)
Team Records: Schreiner (13-12, 4-5 SCAC), Dallas (8-13, 3-2 SCAC)
Pitcher of Record: W) Ortiz (5-5), L) Galvan (4-4)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
- Jade Miller (Plano, Texas) smacked one of the team's six hits, and had the lone extra base hit on the home side with a double.
- Other Crusaders garnering hits included: Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.), Melanie Savala (Bryan, Texas), Tano, and Lety Morales (Fontana, Calif.)
- Tano swiped her fifth stolen base on the season.
- Morale's hit extended her streak to four games at the time.
- Lauren Galvan (Bryan, Texas) started and allowed three runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings. She walked none while striking out three. Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) also surrendered three runs in two innings.
- Schreiner was led by Alyssa Maki with a 4-for-4 day that included a home run. She also drove in two and scored twice. The number two hitter made three of the team's four thefts.
- Sarah Worrell posted both her pair of hits for doubles. Kaylee Atchley stretched a triple for the other SU extra bagger.
- Kaycee Govett and Nichole Schoenherr displayed the remaining multi-hit games to form a quartet on the visiting dugout's side of the lineup. Overall the Mountaineers etched 14 hits.
- Hannah Ortiz went the distance and scattered six hits while fanning eight in the shutout.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a one hour delay waiting on game officials, the game sped along through the first two innings with neither side scoring. A caught stealing in the first and lineout double play that doubled off Atchley who had tripled to lead off the second, were two big defensive plays to help UD early.
Schreiner did break through in the third inning as Maki beat out an infield single to shortstop. After she stole second, Worrell double to deep left and lifted the guests in front for the rest of the contest.
In the bottom half of that inning, Dallas got runners in scoring position as the top two hitters in the order, Finch and Miller, reached via a bunt single and double to left center, respectively. Savala batted a fielder's choice to short, but Finch was thrown out try to even the score. The inning concluded that same sequence as Savala was tagged out trying to advance to second.
The next turn for the Crusaders, Tano singled to short on an infield single and made a steal to get in scoring position. UD was unable to capitalize and the Mountaineers extended the advantage in the next half inning as Govett and Maki each had back-to-back singles.
A three-run frame in the seventh started by Maki going yard on a one-out line drive that just got over the right center field wall. Consecutive bases loaded walks completed the production in the scoring column.
GAME 2 INFORMATION
Team Scores: Schreiner University (3), University of Dallas (4)
Team Records: Schreiner (13-13, 4-6 SCAC), Dallas (9-13, 4-2 SCAC)
Pitcher of Record: W) Galvan (5-4), L) Ortiz (5-6)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
- Both squads punched seven hits.
- Tano had the lone multi-hit game and now has picked up a knock in three straight and four-of-last-six. The pair of triples tied a single game record and were the first of this freshman's collegiate campaign. She also scored twice.
- Miller kept her on-base streak rolling to 15 games, and has tallied a hit in the last seven. The league leader in stolen bases took her 18th, and Allie Driskill (Houston, Texas) snagged the other for her sixth on the spring.
- Five of the top six batters in UD's lineup collected a hit.
- Baylee Leifester (Belton, Texas), who's RBI-double counted towards her one hit, gave her three in the season all versus conference foes.
- Galvan picked up a hard fought win as she relieved Lee with six shutout innings and allowed a hit and walk. The righty struck out two.
- Maki remained hot for the Mountaineers early by clubbing her second home run on the afternoon to keep her perfect series at the plate 5-for-5 at the time.
- Gabriella Acuna had the team's other ribbie and only multiple hit game with a 2-for-3. Hitters 5 through 9 all had a hit for SU.
- Schreiner's Atchley started and threw five innings. She allowed three runs (2 earned) on five hits. Ortiz was saddled this time allowing the leading run in the sixth on a pair of hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The way things started, it appeared the Mountaineers would contain the momentum through the latter game of the twinbill. They scored all their runs in the first two innings and were in a position to add more before Galvan retired three straight to escape a bases loaded jam.
Maki put the visitors on top with a fly ball over the left field wall for a one-out solo shot.
After Dallas responded with two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the first but stranded them, the Mountaineers got the offense going with five singles in a row that included a pair scoring on a ball off the bat of Acuna to left field. That occurred on the fourth one during that span and UD replaced Lee after Samantha Hernandez followed on a single through the left side to load the bags a second time that frame.
Galvan entered and induced three groundballs in a row. The first two were setup for the Dallas infielders to make a force out throw home and maintained a 3-0 margin on the scoreboard. Galvan proceeded to retire seven in a row before Acuna tallied the other hit by the Mountaineers all game in the top of the fourth with one away. Only Cordon's walk an inning later would be the final baserunner Schreiner gathered as Galvan sat down 18-of-20, including the last seven.
The home team was silent with the bats besides that initial threat in the first. Tano powered a two-out triple and would score on a ball that went off the catcher's mitt to count as UD's first run over 10.2 innings on the day.
That helped the Crusaders score in each of their last two trips to bat and take their first lead of the contest with the opponent having just three outs to answer back.
Turning the tide of the game was in the bottom of the fifth when Morales reached on a fielder's choice after Katelyn Lazarek (Seattle, Wash.) avoided a tag being applied as she hustled to second on a grounder to the second baseman. Britin Strobel (Parker, Colo.) pinch ran and scored from second as Finch snuck a single up the middle for her second RBI on the year. A throw home allowed Morales and Finch to each advance 60 feet. Miller grounded out to second and Morales scampered home to knot the contest 3-3.
With one retired to start the home sixth, it was another Tano triple that was a close play at third as the outfielder just slid safely. Leifester doubled deep down the left field line to propel the Crusaders on top. Bryan sat down the Mountaineers in order and improved UD to 4-0 in one-run triumphs this year.
UP NEXT
Dallas wraps up the series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.