Softball splits Sunday at Centenary; Go 2-2 in SCAC Opener
SHREVEPORT, La. – The University of Dallas softball team completed the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) opening series with a 2-2 split at Centenary College of Louisiana. Dallas would win 8-1 in the first of a Sunday twinbill, and fell 6-5 in eight innings to complete the second split in two days.
The Lady Crusaders combined for 23 hits on the weekend, and have tallied double-digits in that category in five of the past six outings. Three of the four games this series went extra, with UD finishing with a 1-2 record in such games. The Lady Crusaders are 2-3 on the campaign and have only played through eight innings in each one. In head-to-head matchups at Centenary Softball Complex, four of the past eight games have gone to extras.
GAME ONE INFORMATION
Teams: University of Dallas (8), Centenary College (1)
Records: Dallas (6-5, 2-1 SCAC), Centenary (7-6, 1-2 SCAC)
Pitching decisions: W) Lee (5-3) L) Aldridge (5-3)
Dallas totaled its second highest amount of runs and scored in all but two innings of game one. The offense got going early as freshman Katie Antigua (Elk Grove, Calif.) singled to the left side to drive in junior Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.). Finch led off the game with a hit and stole second with one out. senior Erin Begle (Houston, Texas) recorded the third UD hit of the inning to load the bases and junior Bailey DiStefano (Bryan, Texas) walked to get an RBI.
The designated player, who made her season debut, would rip an RBI single to center to lift Dallas up 3-0. That edge expanded to as many as eight by the sixth inning. The Lady Crusaders would put a pair up in the fourth and sixth, with a single run coming through in between the frames.
Four of those runs were at the benefit of Centenary miscues. In the fourth, Finch stole her second base of the game and would advance to third on a throwing error. Junior Allison Kotlar (Edna, Texas) came around for the first run and Finch also scored on an error. Both runs in the sixth were also unearned.
Kotlar did lace a double to center field and drove in freshman Samantha Laberge (Round Rock, Texas) in the fifth.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- A trio of players had two-hit games including: Finch, Antigua, and Begle. UD compiled 11 base knocks altogether.
- Finch and junior Lyda Tesauro (Hollywood, Fl.) scored twice, and Dallas snatched four stolen bases. The other half besides Finch's were by freshman Stephanie Cervantes (Temecula, Calif.) and Kotlar.
- Eight of nine starters in the lineup for the Lady Crusaders recorded a hit.
- Junior Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) went seven innings and allowed a run on five hits. She walked one.
- Centenary's Michelle Tasin kept the game from being run ruled with an RBI in the bottom of the sixth. Lizzie Moran had a multi-hit game (2-for-3). The Ladies had five knocks total and two steals.
- Nicole Aldridge took the loss with an inning of work in the start. Haley Miller pitched four innings and allowed four runs (3 earned) on five hits. Mackenzie Stewart allowed two runs (1 earned) on three hits in the final pair of innings logged.
GAME TWO INFORMATION
Teams: University of Dallas (5), Centenary College (6) (Final 8 innings)
Records: Dallas (6-6, 2-2 SCAC), Centenary (8-6, 2-2 SCAC)
Pitching decisions: W) Aldridge (6-3) L) Lee (5-4)
It was Centenary that got off to a quick start in the second game, taking a 4-0 edge after two. The Maroon and White got on the board with one in the first inning, with only one hit. A pair of walks and RBI hits batsman led to the production. The home team benefited from two errors in a three-run second. Nikki Greer highlighted the crooked number with a double to left center.
The Lady Crusaders offense came to life in the fourth, as they pounded half of their 12 hits and boasted a five-run inning. Antigua, Begle, and Cervantes started the frame with three straight hits. Cervantes got the two RBI with a single back up the middle. Laberge would bring her in a batter later with a hit to center. Freshman Melanie Savala (Bryan, Texas) joined the hit parade with a knock to left that brought in two runs, including the go-ahead runner Finch. Dallas led 5-4.
An inning and a half later, the Ladies knotted the game back thanks to a two-out error by the second baseman. Mallory Ford would reach safely on the bases-loaded miscue, and Miller scored on the play.
A familiar scene occurred as the contest remained in a deadlock the next six outs on both sides. The Lady Crusaders got a lead off hit from Cervantes and moved her to second with an out but could not advance her further. In the bottom of the eighth, Emily Sexton beat out an infield hit to second, and would be in the same scenario moving to scoring position on a sacrifice. Tasin came up with a double to left center and walked-off Centenary the second time this weekend.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- A quartet of players for the Navy and White picked up 2-for-4 displays. This group included: Finch, Antigua, Cervantes, and Kotlar.
- Finch is carrying an active 10-game hitting streak, and combined for seven in the series.
- Antigua went 4-for-7 on the day and laced a double in the later contest.
- Cervantes recorded a hit in each game this series, and has a six-game streak going. She had two RBI in game two Sunday and three overall on the day.
- Kotlar added the extra base hit for a double and had her second in as many games today.
- UD committed 3 errors to the Ladies' 1, and did not steal a base.
- Game one's pitching decisions received them again, but in reversed sides. Lee tossed 7.1 innings of relief for freshman Paige Parks (Cedar Parks, Texas) and allowed five runs (two earned) on 12 hits. Aldridge went three innings and allowed two hits while recording the lone strikeouts for the Centenary staff.
- Tasin had the game-winner hit for her lone knock and was one of three players to get a trio of hits. Miller and Cassie Gonzalez also made the feat.
UP NEXT
Spring Break sends Dallas to California. On March 9, the Lady Crusaders play University of Redlands at 12 p.m. (PST). On March 10, the team goes to University of La Verne.