Softball's Highest Scoring Output not Enough; Southwestern Sweeps
GEORGETOWN, Texas – The University of Dallas softball team scored double-digits for the first time this season and matched a season-best 13 hits. However, Southwestern University rallied with seven runs in the last two innings that included a five-run seventh to walk-off 11-10 in the first game Saturday. That secured the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) series win for the Pirates, and then an 8-0 shutout through six innings later in game two gave them a sweep.
GAME 1 INFORMATION
Team Scores: University of Dallas (10), Southwestern University (11)
Team Records: Dallas (9-18, 4-7 SCAC), Southwestern (14-9, 7-2 SCAC)
Pitcher of Record: W) Tomalty (1-0), L) Lee (4-9)
NOTABLE STATISTICS
- Jade Miller (Plano, Texas) was perfect at the plate (3-3) with a double and two runs batted in.
- Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.) and Allison Kotlar (Edna, Texas) each went 2-for-5 to give the top three spots in the lineup a combined 7-for-13. The top two hitters in the order both scored twice.
- Allie Driskill (Houston, Texas) and Stephanie Cervantes (Temecula, Calif.) completed all the UD multi-hit performers. The duo each smacked a double. Driskill drove in two and Cervantes scored twice.
- Besides runs and hits, the Crusaders also set season-highs in total bases (19). The RBI total of eight matches a season-most from the University of Scranton when UD had its other 13-hit contest. It was the third time this year UD clubbed four extra base hits and fourth time to garner three doubles.
- A string of 22 consecutive games with a stolen base ended.
- Lauren Galvan (Bryan, Texas) started three innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) was saddled after allowing seven runs (five earned) over 3.2 frames. She struck out two.
- Southwestern amassed 16 hits and had all but one batter notch one or reach base. A trio of players: Sydney Scott, Andrea Hern, and Amelia Fuchs doubled. Scott tripled and Paige McShan and McKenna Zinke posted two home runs.
- Southwestern has had two in all three contests this series.
- Five different pitchers appeared in the circle for the Pirates. Each yielded a run, but Bailey Meyer was the lone arm to not give up an earned run over 1.2 innings. She also struck out three as the staff combined for eight.
- Brooke Tomalty was credited the win having thrown the seventh and being the last in the game when SU came-from-behind.
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the third game of the series, Dallas pushed at least a run in the first inning with a two-spot. The top three batters in the Crusaders lineup reached via a hit. After an out, Driskill laced a two-RBI single to get the early lead.
The guests added on in the next top of the inning, as four straight Crusaders reached base after the first out was recorded. Morales walked and then another trio of singles from the top of the UD lineup followed to drive in two runs. Kotlar had the RBI single back up the middle just off the outstretched Southwestern shortstop's glove. With runners on the corners, Miller placed down a bunt single that scored a hustling Finch. That capped the pair of runs crossed home that inning to give Dallas a 4-0 advantage.
A run in the third made it the largest lead of the day for the Crusaders at five. However, it was the home squads turn to get on the board in the bottom half with a four-spot to nip the margin to 5-4. Scott started the frame with a triple. After a one-out, lineout a wild pitch got Scott home and ended UD's shutout bid. Three more runs came home on a Zinke long ball. It is the Pirates fifth home run of the series and third that was a three-run shot.
The Crusaders countered by keeping offense rolling with an inning-high, three runs in the fifth. Dallas recorded four hits for the second time in the contest. Driskill doubled to left and started the big inning. Mackenzie Tano (Wylie, Texas) and Baileigh Perkins (Orange, Texas) banged back-to-back RBI-singles. Cervantes doubled down the left field line, but UD's first out came at home trying to score. Cervantes did get to third on the throw and later scored on a wild pitch on the next plate appearance.
In the sixth, UD's Kotlar reached on an error and advanced to second on the errant throw. After going to third on a passed ball, Miller sent an RBI-double towards left center to stretch the lead back to five.
The Pirates did respond with two runs in the bottom of the frame. A couple wild defensive plays helped the Gold and Black eventually cut the deficit to three.
After watching the opposition clobber five home runs – at the time - in three games, Cervantes launched her first of the year and fourth of the sophomore's career to make it 10-6.
Southwestern had enough left in the tank to rally for five runs in its last turn to bat and walk-off. McShan homered to center to lead off the inning. After a fly out to right and strikeout, the Pirates mustered four-straight hits, including three doubles in a row. The double by Fuchs drove in two to knot the ballgame. Scott then doubled to deep left and scored pinch runner Carns.
GAME 2 INFORMATION
Team Scores: University of Dallas (0), Southwestern University (8) (Final 6 innings)
Team Records: Dallas (9-19, 4-8 SCAC), Southwestern (15-9, 8-2 SCAC)
Pitcher of Record: W) Longuet (6-4), L) Galvan (5-8)
NOTABEL STATISTICS
- Miller tallied one of UD's three hits to extend her streak to 13 games. Her on-base streak reached 21 in a row, which is the longest stretch for that many since Finch had been on safely 20 straight games in 2016 (Feb. 14 – Mar. 14).
- Tano also etched a hit and maintained the team's second highest hitting streak at nine straight games.
- Galvan had the other single for Dallas.
- Lee and Galvan each threw 2.2 innings. Lee relieved the freshman and allowed two runs on five hits. She added a strikeout to her afternoon.
- Southwestern racked up 11 hits with four doubles counting for all the extra baggers.
- Scott continued her strong series with a 3-for-4, double, and two runs. Celeste Silvas and McShan had the other multiple hits with both going 2-for-4 and scoring a run.
- The top three hitters in the lineup combined 7-for-12. Hitters three through seven all had one of the team's eight RBI.
- Lindsey Longuet earned the win tossing six shutout innings and limiting three hits to Dallas. She struck out five.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Southwestern scored first in the only matchup this weekend by notching a run at least in each of its first three innings. An RBI-groundout by McShan brought Scott in for the first run. Marissa Irvin doubled to left to drive Berkley Bacon home in the next frame.
The Crusaders had threatened in the top half of the second, but left the bases juiced. With one out, Driskill was hit by pitch. Tano singled to left and Galvan hustled out a single to third. But consecutive strikeouts kept the deficit at 2-0.
A four-run third was the catalyst needed to give the Pirates all the runs needed to secure a win in the second matchup part of the doubleheader. Four hits happened that included singles leading off the inning by Silvas and McShan back-to-back and then RBI-doubles by Curtis and Hern, respectively. Hern's two-base hit scored a pair.
Another quartet of hits helped bring two runs in the sixth that finished off a run-ruled contest and moved UD to its sixth setback in a row.
UP NEXT
Dallas is on the road again April 7-8 at first place Texas Lutheran University. That Friday, the Crusaders will play a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. and then Saturday at 1 p.m.