Trinity Breaks Away in 5th Inning; Crusaders Fall in SCAC Tournament on Friday
KERRVILLE, Texas – The No. 6 Seed University of Dallas softball team fell to No 3 Seed Trinity University by a final of 10-1 in six innings on Friday to begin the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Tournament. After two innings of play in the third game on Friday, heavy rainfall came and halted play the rest of the night and all-day Saturday. Due to the circumstances, Dallas along with Southwestern University were eliminated from tournament play.
It was a tight ballgame through the first four and a half innings, with Trinity holding a one-run advantage thanks to a home run, but the Tigers broke things open with six runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to polish a run-ruled finish.
Annabel Anderson (Midlothian, Texas) put the Crusaders on the board with a 1-0 lead in the first inning, as she doubled home Caitlyn Stevenson (Henderson, Nev.). The starting third baseman was batting leadoff for the first time this season, which had been where Anderson was hitting most of the spring. It worked out the first time as Stevenson reached on a hit and then moved to second on a ground out by Madison Coutts (Tampa, Fla.). Anderson struck for her team-leading 12th RBI. A couple of ground outs to shortstop ended the threat with UD's last runner in scoring position until the sixth inning.
Trinity attacked right back in the next half inning, as Emily Vaclavik singled with one out. After Jordyn Williams struck out, Marina Delaluna ripped a two-run home run to put the Tigers on top and they would not trail as they scored the next 10 runs.
Each side put up zeros the next three and a half innings. Trinity's starter Allie Holbrook worked around harmless singles in the second and third innings, while UD's pitcher Maggie Watts (Arcadia, La.) threw consecutive 1-2-3 innings and then avoided second and third with one out by getting a couple of ground balls that held the score at 2-1.
Trinity broke away in the fifth as two singles and an error loaded the bases with none out. A ground out for the second out brought a third run home for the Tigers. After an intentional walk to Delaluna, MK Stark got a ball off the third base glove that was ruled an RBI hit. It was good though to keep the play in the infield by Stevenson, as Dallas tried to limit the damage to a run on the play. However, Diamond Elizondo lofted a line drive just out of reach of Anderson who was shallow depth. That ball would get all the way to the wall and after a slip on the grass, Elizondo was able to complete the inside-the-park homer.
The Crusaders did not go down quietly in the sixth, as they loaded the bases after two outs. Karina Campo (Georgetown, Texas), Liz Cordova (Oklahoma City, Okla.), and Emily Martin (San Jose, Calif.) singled consecutively, but they could not punch another hit needed to cut into the deficit.
Trinity reached the eight-run difference with a two-out homer by Delaluna that was her second two-run shot of the day and matched her with a game-high four RBI.
Trinity outhit UD 9-7, but besides the six-hit fifth, the Crusaders had outhit their opposition 4-2 before that outbreak. Anderson and Martin each went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Dallas.
Holbrook went five innings and struck out five batters while working around the four hits and a run. She did not allow a walk as she earned her fourth win in a row against UD in the past week.
Watts took the loss, allowing nine earned runs on nine hits. She struck out two and walked four.
Dallas concludes its season at 4-22, while Trinity improves to 16-14. The Tigers will play Centenary on Sunday at 4 p.m. and the winner will advance to play Schreiner later that night. The winner of that game will play Texas Lutheran University on Monday. Keep up on SCAC Softball Tournament Page and SCAC Social Media for the latest schedule updates.