Crusaders Fall Short Thursday in St. Thomas Doubleheader
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas softball team started a three-game conference series against University of St. Thomas. Both games saw the Crusaders keep things close, but they fell by a combined three runs in the twinbill and also left 17 runners on for the two games.
Despite churning out just two hits in game one, Dallas left eight runners on base and had the bags loaded twice, but were blanked by a pair of runs. The Crusaders finally got some offense late in game two with all four runs coming in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Celts were able to lock things down in the seventh for the one-win victory.
Game 1 Information
Team Scores: St. Thomas (2), Dallas (0)
Team Records: St. Thomas (13-8, 8-2 SCAC), Dallas (2-9, 2-8 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Longuet (9-2), L) Watts (1-6)
St. Thomas scratched a run over the plate in the fifth inning and seventh inning, and were able to count on its pitching ace, Lindsey Longuet to prevent the opposition from scoring.
The Crusaders were given an opportunity to break the scoreless game in their first time to bat. A walk and pair of errors helped extend the inning, but the bases were left jammed on a foul out to third.
In the third inning, Liz Cordova (Oklahoma City, Okla.) tripled to deep center field with one out. A walk and stolen base by Bri Hale (Austin, Texas) gave UD a chance for momentum, but St. Thomas starter Lindsey Longuet fanned the side to leave the bases loaded.
Longuet threw a complete game shutout and scattered two hits, while striking out nine to increase her lead in the SCAC to 73. Her bats helped get her enough support when Taylor Le tripled to left with one out. Devinne Green (Riverside, Calif.) made a sliding grab on the next hitter, Mia Terry, but she would drive in the first run. St. Thomas manufactured an insurance run in the seventh, when Terry singled to center and scored Ariana Brown. The Celts second base player bunted for an infield hit just in front of home to start the inning. Brown stole second and then came in on a two-out single.
The Celts totaled six hits in the game, which included two-hit performances by Terry (2-3) and Le (2-3).
Maggie Watts (Arcadia, La.) received the hard-luck loss with just two runs on six hits allowed in seven innings. The senior did not walk a batter and struck out two.
The other Dallas hit was a soft flair over shot stop by Emily Martin (San Jose, Calif.) for her first one in as many at bats this year at that time.
Game 2 Information
Team Scores: St. Thomas (5), Dallas (4)
Team Records: St. Thomas (14-8, 9-2 SCAC), Dallas (2-10, 2-9 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Vasquez (3-3), L) Campo (0-1), Sv) Arrington (1)
This game was a bit of the opposite, with UD dropping behind in the first inning by two runs. Shae Montemayor smacked one-of-two triples by the Celts in this game to start the three-hit first inning. She scored on a hit by Emma Garrett. Later Brenna Ruther singled home Garrett. The Celts added a run in the second inning to open a three-run margin.
In the home second inning, UD compiled a trio of singles, including consecutive one-out hits by Karina Campo (Georgetown, Texas) and Watts. With two away, Green hit a single up the middle, but the Crusaders would leave the bases full at the end of that inning.
St. Thomas added a run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Dallas finally got some good fortune on its end with the bat, as a dropped pop up helped Liz Cordova score with two away in the fifth and cut the deficit to 4-1.
Sam Wendel belted the other triple for UST to lead off the sixth and eventually scored on another sacrifice fly out.
UD converted with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, as Annabel Anderson (Midlothian, Texas) rolled a double down the third base line. Watts and Martin had drawn consecutive walks with one out to spur the rally. Green singled up the middle to put runners at all spots. An error allowed Green to score from first as the Anderson hit made it all the way to the wall. St. Thomas summoned Hailey Arrington, who recorded the final five outs and did not allow a hit. Although two bases runners reached. A hit by pitch to Madison Coutts (Tampa, Fla.) put runners on the corners in the sixth with one out, but a double play kept the one-run lead intact. Arrington worked around a walk in the seventh.
The Crusaders were outhit 12-7 and committed one less error at 3-2. Wendel pounded two-of-three St. Thomas extra-base hits. One was a double and one was a triple and then the designated player scored two runs. Garrett added a 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored for the Celts. Terry delivered three runs.
Anderson went 2-for-4 with the pair of countable RBI, and Green added the other multi-hit performance. The bottom three spots in the lineup each scored a run on the big knock in the sixth. UD combined for six walks taken, which hitters Kelly, Campo, Watts (2), and Martin (2) all had.
Campo was saddled with the loss in her first start of the season. She allowed three runs on five hits in two innings. She struck out two. Martin tossed the last five innings and was effective with seven hits and two runs (one earned) allowed.
Cordova knocked a double, which gives her eight on the season. She has an extra base hit in all-but three games the center fielder has appeared in this spring.
Zoe Jeffiers received the no decision after 3.1 innings on the start. She did not give up a run, but her four hits and three walks led to an early exit. Marissa Vasquez came in relief, and earned the win with two innings tossed, three hits, and four runs (3 earned runs). She struck out four. Arrington picked up the team's first save on the year.
Dallas concludes the series with the Celts at 12 p.m. on Friday, April 2.