Softball allows Walk-off in Game One at Redlands; Go 0-2 on the Afternoon
REDLANDS Calif. – The University of Dallas softball team went 0-2 on a Wednesday matinee at University of Redlands. Dallas allowed a walk-off to fall 5-4 in game one, before being blanked 9-0 in game two.
GAME ONE INFORMATION
Teams: University of Dallas (4), University of Redlands (5)
Records: Dallas (6-7), Redlands (10-5)
Pitching decisions: W) Mifsud (6-3), L) Lee (5-5)
It was another heartbreaker for the Lady Crusaders, as the past three road setbacks have been on walk-offs to the home team. That makes four overall and moved Dallas to 3-5 in games decided by a single run.
Senior Erin Begle (Houston, Texas) got the road team rolling right with a pair of RBIs on her first triple of the campaign in the first inning. The three-bagger scored freshman Melanie Savala (Bryan, Texas) and junior Lyda Tesauro (Hollywood, Fl.). Savala recorded UD's first base knock of the game with a single to shortstop. After Tesauro walked, Begle ripped a hit for the sixth game in a row.
The Bulldogs finally found the hit column with two outs in the third inning, but it was a Grace Rose Triple to end the no-hitter. She scored a batter later on a Jennifer Ng single to right center. That cut the deficit, 2-1, but would start a stretch of three straight runs for Redlands. The home team gained the lead in the next inning, by posting two runs. Shannon Skrz provided the big two-out knock with a double that split the left center gap. Two runners came around to score.
Dallas countered right away in the top of the fifth. A one-out single by junior Allison Kotlar (Edna, Texas) flipped the order back up for classmate Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.) She reached on a fielder's choice and then the duo displayed their speed with a double steal. Savala took advantage and gave the Lady Crusaders the edge again on a smack to left field that plated the two.
It was 4-3 from there through to the Bulldogs' final at-bat. A one-out pinch hit from Lali Garza sparked a rally. There would be flyout to left, but consecutive hits by Rose and AJ Carrasco captured the win for the California squad. Carrasco had the game-winner on a double to left center that scored two.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Dallas was outhit by one, 9-8. Neither team was charged with an error.
- Begle (2-for-3) and Savala ((2-for-4) had multiple hits and each had two RBI to account for all UD runs. The Begle triple was the lone extra base hit for the Navy and White.
- Finch and freshman Stephanie Cervantes (Temecula, Calif.) kept their hitting streaks alive through this contest.
- Freshman Tera Espinosa (Caldwell, Texas) recorded the other stolen base besides the previous mentioned to give Dallas three.
- Junior Katie Lee (Houston, Texas) was saddled in the setback going 6.2 innings. She allowed five runs on nine hits and struck out three.
- Rose and Mika Imoto had two-hit games for the Bulldogs. The tandem combined for three runs scored. Carrasco came off the bench as a defensive sub in the sixth, and was 1-for-1.
- Redlands recorded three extra base hits off two doubles and a triple. The team was caught stealing for its lone attempt.
- Lindsey Mifsud earned the win, going seven innings and allowing four runs on eight hits. She walked one and struck out five.
GAME TWO INFORMATION
Teams: University of Dallas (0), University of Redlands (9) (Final 5 innings)
Records: Dallas (6-8), Redlands (11-5)
Pitching decisions: W) Henson (2-2), L) Parks (1-3)
Dallas dropped 9-0 contest in the second game of the double dip on Wednesday. After holding the Bulldogs to a pair of runs through three and a half innings, the home team managed seven runs in the fourth and fifth. This included five in the final frame to enforce the run-rule.
Junior Avery Finch (Jamul, Calif.) led the game off with an infield hit to shortstop, and extended her hitting streak to a career-long, 12 games. The centerfielder would reach second base on her 13th steal of the campaign in the third inning. That was the only time UD had a runner in scoring position.
Redlands picked up a two-run lead in the second inning. The Bulldogs utilized three hits but also benefited from an error that scored an extra run. Rose once again had the major knock up the middle for an RBI.
One of two errors in the fourth, along with a pass ball, helped generate another two runs for Redlands and double the lead. A five-run fifth ended the shortened contest. Garza had a double to center field that drove in the final two runners on the home side.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
-Finch, Begle, Kotlar, and freshman Sukie Turner (Valley Center, Calif.) all recorded hits. Begle's hit streak is now eight, in addition to Finch's double-digit one.
- Savala did reach base for the 13th straight game with her ninth walk, which ranks second on team. Cervantes saw her hitting streak end at seven, but did reach base safely for the eighth in a row on a hit by pitch.
- Freshman Paige Parks (Cedar Parks, Texas) took the loss in four innings of work. She allowed seven runs (three earned) on eight hits. She surrendered four walks and got a strikeout.
- Dallas committed four errors compared to one miscue by the Bulldogs.
- Rose paced the offense with a game-high three hits and as many ribbies. She also scored once. Summer Smith (2-for-2) and Carrasco (2-for-3) added multi-hit performances and scored twice.
- Lauren Henson earned the win in five innings of four-hit shutout ball.
UP NEXT
Dallas ends an eight-game road trip at University of La Verne on Thursday. First pitch at 4 p.m. (PST) on the west coast.