Softball swept at Texas Lutheran on Saturday
SEGUIN, Texas – The University of Dallas softball team (16-14, 9-9 SCAC) suffered its first conference sweep, and four-game slide, after falling to Texas Lutheran University (26-4, 16-0 SCAC) on Saturday afternoon. The first contest was settled in five innings, as TLU prevailed 9-0, and Dallas would be nipped in a 2-1 setback in the second of the twinbill.
UD maintains third place in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) rankings, while the Bulldogs kept their unbeaten streak alive within the league. Texas Lutheran also has won 23 in a row altogether.
The closest chance the Lady Crusaders threatened to spoiling that run was in the latter affair. With the scoreboard reflecting zeros in the run column through three innings, Dallas grabbed a 1-0 edge in the top of the fourth.
Sophomore Lyda Tesauro (Hollywood, Fla.) ripped a two-out triple past the right fielder, and would sprint home on an infield single by senior Taylor Garcia (Pflugerville, Texas).
The Black and Gold knotted the game right away in its trip to the plate next, and would claim the narrow edge by Jennifer Gallagher's sacrifice fly to left field. Grace Estes began the frame with a walk and moved to third throughout the next at-bat on a steal and sacrifice bunt from Ashley Jacobsen.
The Lady Crusaders also received a base knock from Junior Erin Begle (Houston, Texas). TLU held a narrow 5-3 hit advantage on the day.
In the circle, sophomore Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) tossed six innings and allowed two runs on five hits. The right-hander allowed four walks.
Samantha Yenne (4-2) earned the victory with a run allowed on two hits, while striking out four. Capturing a save with two innings of work was Veny Pizana.
In the first contest, the Navy and White fell behind early. The Bulldogs jumped in front with a four-run first innings, and kept the momentum throughout. Five in the next trip for the home squad was plenty to seal the series win.
Sophomore Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.) tallied UD's lone knock on a bunt single to third in the fourth frame. The visitor's opponent compiled 13 in the route.
Lee (15-10) was saddled in both decisions, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on 11 hits in two innings. The Houston, Texas, native earned a break after logging 139.2 innings-straight dating back to Feb. 21 versus Millsaps College.
Finishing the first of the double dip for the Navy and White was senior Ashley Pickert (Lenexa, Kan.), who limited TLU to a pair of hits and a walk.
Taylor Grissom (12-0) worked three innings for the win and punched out two. Kimberly Leschber and Amanda Lochte also threw in the circle for the Black and Gold.
UP NEXT
Dallas is back at home for a conference series with Schreiner University on Apr. 11-12. It will be the final time at the friendly confines for the Lady Crusaders. Sunday's twinbill finale will be Senior Day.