Crusaders Comeback Bid Falls Short in Game 1; Swept by Schreiner
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas softball team dropped its final two games of a four-game Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) series on Sunday to Schreiner University. Teams combined for 11 runs in the final two innings of game one, as the Mountaineers held off a furious comeback by Dallas. A five-run second inning carried the visitors to a sweep over the Crusaders in the series finale.
(Game 1 Information)
Team Scores: Schreiner (7), Dallas (5)
Team Records: Schreiner (7-14, 3-4 SCAC), Dallas (5-14, 0-7 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Bri Wodtke (2-2), L) Karina Campo (3-7), S) Kaylee Culpepper (4)
It was a tight game throughout the first five innings, as Schreiner scratched a run across in its first at bat of the game. Courtney Bigley had the RBI-single to left field that scored Alyssa Maki. Dallas was able to escape with just that one run despite a trio of hits and walk for the Mountaineers.
The Crusaders had baserunners in the first two innings but a lined out double play ended the first inning and then a pair of hits by Liz Cordova (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and Madison Coutts (Tampa, Fla.) in the next inning went for naught.
Schreiner pulled ahead 4-0 in the sixth inning. Melanie Castilla singled to center to score Courtney. Gracie Bell highlighted the inning with a two-run double deep into center field. All three runs came with two outs.
Two runs came in the home half of the inning as UD sliced the deficit in half. A passed ball allowed Mel Savala (Bryan, Texas) to score and advanced Cordova to third. After a walk by Coutts to put runners at the corners, the catcher got into a rundown between first and second that scored Cordova, who had a double as one of the three base hits that inning.
Culpepper struck the decisive base knock for a bases-clearing triple at the base of the centerfield wall to extend the lead to 7-2 in the final inning.
Dallas fought back bringing the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the frame. With two outs, Caitlynn Stevenson (Henderson, Nev.) and Julie Duenas (Houston, Texas) stole third and second. A walk to Karina Campo (Georgetown, Texas) loaded the bags. Cordova brought home two runs on a single to right. Coutts followed with a single to left.
That prompted the Mountaineers to bring in closer Culpepper, who notched the final out to nail down her fourth save of the season and second of the series.
Cordova led the Crusaders at the plate going 3-for-4 with the pair of RBI and run scored. She was part of a team season-high four stolen bases that also had Stevenson, Duenas, and Mackenzie Tano (Wylie, Texas) part of the group. Coutts contributed the other multi-hit game for UD (2-3), as she had one of the team's five walks. That number of free passes was one shy of the season-most against Southwestern College (Feb. 15) in the season opener.
Campo was saddled with the loss after allowing just one run on three hits through three innings in the start. Emily Martin (San Jose, Calif.) pitched two scoreless innings with no hits and a walk and strikeout. Haley Henson (Chandler, Texas) threw the final two innings and allowed six runs on seven hits. All runs were scored with two outs.
Gabriella Acuna (3-4), Bigley (2-4), and Culpepper (2-4) paced Schreiner's offense, with Culpepper smacking two doubles to go with Bell's for three by the team.
Bri Wodtke started and tossed six innings with two runs (one earned) allowed off seven hits. She walked two and struck out the team's lone three on the staff. Amanda Timmerman recorded two outs but was charged three runs and gave up two hits with three walks.
(Game 2 Information)
Team Scores: Schreiner (5), Dallas (1)
Team Records: Schreiner (8-14, 4-4 SCAC), Dallas (5-15, 0-8 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Kennedy Moody (3-0), L) Maggie Watts (0-1)
With the bases loaded in the first inning, Dallas' defense came up with a huge double play to get the runner at home and then the relay at first capped the big play. However, Schreiner broke through with all five of its runs in the next frame with the help of five hits. Culpepper clobbered her third double of the day to center field. Pinch runner Castilla scored on the next batter's, Kennedy Moody, single up the middle.
The next two batters made outs, but a single and advanced on throw put the Mountaineers in business with two in scoring position. Alyssa Maki had an RBI-single through the middle that made it 2-0. Maki hustled to second on the throw home. Three unearned runs came with two outs as Acuna capped the big inning with an RBI-double down the left field line.
The Crusaders picked up two hits and a walk in the next half inning but were unable to cut into the deficit. They finished with five hits in the game.
Duenas smacked her fourth home run of the season in the sixth inning to break the shutout bid by Moody. Bri Hale (Austin, Texas) contributed a double for the team's other extra-base hit. Savala notched a 2-for-3 game for the Crusaders multiple hit performer.
Martin twirled a career-long 5.1 innings of relief and did not surrender a run while working around three hits and two walks. She struck out a season-high three batters.
Moody went the distance and allowed just the long ball as one-of-five hits. She walked two and struck out one.
The Mountaineers combined for nine hits, with a trio counting for doubles by Bell, Acuna, and Culpepper to give the team six overall on the day and eight in the series.
UP NEXT
Dallas plays Hardin-Simmons at home in non-conference action on Wednesday, March 20. The doubleheader begins at 5 p.m.