Duenas Home Run Not Enough against Lions; Drop Two on Saturday
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The University of Dallas softball team fell twice on Saturday, dropping a 6-0 final to host Huntingdon College and then being walked off on by Mount St. Joseph University 3-2 in the neutral site matchup.
After being shutout for 13 innings, Julie Duenas (Houston, Texas) put the Crusaders on the board and in front, 2-1, with a home run to drive in Bri Torres (Cypress, Texas). It was not enough, as the Lions rallied back in the bottom half of the seventh to win on a single by Sarah Miller through the left side.
(Game 1 Information)
Team scores: Dallas (0), Huntingdon (6)
Team Records: Dallas (3-2), Huntingdon (5-2)
Pitcher Records: W) Hunt (4-0), L) Rasmussen (2-1)
A pair of three-run innings was more than enough to lift the Hawks to a six-run shutout over Dallas. An error started the home first inning with Alyssa Singleterry reaching. After stealing second, UD starter Paige Rasmussen (El Campo, Texas) got two outs with balls hit in the air, but then got tagged for an RBI single by Annie Nolan and two-run homer by Kaci Cochran.
In the fourth, Singleterry drove in two more runs with a single through the right side. McKenzie Ridgeway added a single through the other side of the infield to complete the final tally.
Dallas was only outhit 6-5, but the home team took advantage of a pair of errors and were able to get the hits when needed. The top four hitters in the lineup: Torres, Caitlynn Stevenson (Henderson, Nev.), Liz Cordova (Oklahoma City, Okla.), and Duenas registered all the base knocks for the Crusaders. Duenas had a multi-hit game.
Rasmussen was saddled with the loss going six complete innings and allowing two earned runs. She walked four, struck out two, and was responsible for one of the defensive errors that came in the fourth.
Cochran had the lone multi-hit game for Huntingdon, with one of those counting for a round-tripper. Singleterry added a pair of walks and steals to her offensive line. Madison Hunt hurled a complete game shutout, scattering five hits, walking none, and fanning six. An error in the third inning on a Torres single allowed her to reach third, but was the only runner in scoring position Hunt had to deal with all game.
(Game 2 Information)
Team scores: Dallas (2), Mount St. Joseph (3)
Team Records: Dallas (3-3), Mount St. Joseph (1-0)
Pitcher Records: W) McCool (1-0), L) Campo (1-2)
Both teams posted five blank innings with limited chances at getting on the board. Dallas starter Karina Campo (Georgetown, Texas) retired the first six batters before running into a first and third jam in the third inning. She got a pop out and fielded a groundout back to her to keep things scoreless. She sat the Lions down in order in the fourth and had them strand two in the fifth on a strikeout looking before trouble happened in the sixth.
Brooke Otto doubled and advanced to third on a groundout. Miller drove her in with a sacrifice fly.
Dallas tallied three hits in the contest and had two prior to Duenas going deep for the first time this season and career. Torres led off the inning with one of the team's two walks in the game.
The Lions responded with Katie Tarter singling to reach first. A sacrifice bunt pushed her to scoring position. After a hit by pitch put Alaina Maddy on, another grounder put the tying and winning runs in scoring position with two away. Two walks helped push the second run in that knotted the score, and then Miller came up with the winning RBI.
Mackenzie Tano (Wylie, Texas) doubled for the Crusaders other extra-base hit, while Campo also posted the team's other knock. Campo took the hard-luck loss after allowing six hits, three runs and four walks. She also struck out four.
Six different players for the Lions tallied hits. Tarter reached base three times with a hit and two walks. Savannah Sturgill posted the other ribbie with the bases-loaded walk. Brianna Kauf received a no decision as the starter in the circle. She didn't allow a run on two hits, while walking and striking out one. Kamryn McCool surrendered the long ball and walk, but would get credited the win, after the Lions came back to open their campaign with a victory.
The Lions have edged Dallas 3-2 in all three meetings in the all-time series.
UP NEXT
Dallas will play these same teams tomorrow but in reverse order. The Crusaders play Mount St. Joseph at 10 a.m., with the weekend slate closing against Huntingdon College around 12 p.m.