Softball falls in doubleheader at Centenary on Saturday
SHREVEPORT, La. – The University of Dallas softball team was defeated in Saturday's Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) doubleheader at Centenary College.
Early leads occurred in the first inning of both contests for the Crusaders, but the Ladies offense – which combined for five home runs - generated enough support to claim the first two games of the four-game set.
In game one, Payton LeBlanc drove in five RBI for Centenary to lead the top four hitters in the lineup that combined for 10 RBI in a five-inning, run-rule.
In game two, Centenary erased a 1-0 deficit with two runs via home runs in its first at bat. UD tied the game immediately in the second, and then an inning later Liz Cordova (Oklahoma City, Okla.) blasted a two-run shot to put the guests up again. Seven straight runs over the course of the last three home innings sealed the twinbill sweep for the Ladies.
(Game 1 Information) (Final 5 innings)
Team Scores: Dallas (3), Centenary (11)
Team Records: Dallas (6-23, 1-12 SCAC), Centenary (14-17, 5-8 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Smith (3-2), L) Watts (3-11)
The Crusaders garnered eight hits overall in the game, with half of them occurring in their first turn to bat. A single by Alicia Enciso (Corona, Calif.) started the game. After a sacrifice bunt, Haley Golden (Lake Dallas, Texas) dropped a single to right field to put runners on the corners. She stole second. Gabbie Underwood (La Verne, Calif.) singled in the first run, and stole second after a failed pickoff attempt to get her. Cordova ripped a ball through the left side to drive home Golden and Underwood to finish the three-run frame.
Centenary got a run back in the bottom of the first on a single through the left side by Sydney Hurley. The Ladies tallied three hits that inning but left two on base.
Five runs in the second inning propelled the Maroon and White ahead for the rest of the game. Knotted at 3-3 after two runs already had come in, Anna Dunn singled to left for leading RBI. Hurley then clobbered a home over the left field wall to complete the inning.
The Ladies only outhit Dallas by two (10-8), but were able to tally more than enough runs to force a five-inning final. Three runs came in the third and a pair in the fifth concluded the series opener.
Golden was perfect at the plate (2-2, BB) and knocked the only extra-base hit for the Crusaders with a double in the fifth. Underwood notched the other multi-hit performance for UD with a 2-for-3. Mackenzie Tano (Wylie, Texas) and Lauren Galvan (Bryan, Texas) also posted hits.
Galvan threw three innings after Maggie Watts (Arcadia, La.) started the first 1.2 innings. Watts was saddled with the loss, as she allowed six runs on just as many hits with a walk. Galvan gave up five runs on four hits and walked one. She had the lone strikeout.
LeBlanc, Dunn, Hurley, and Wendy Gillet posted two-hit games for Centenary. After LeBlanc's five runs-batted-in was Hurley's three. Gillet came home three times. Cassie Gonzalez and Gillett knocked doubles to give the team four extra-base hits. The Ladies stole six bases.
Haley Miller only recorded one out in a short start, but Margeaux Smith was able to throw 4.2 shutout innings, while scattering four hits.
(Game 2 Information)
Team Scores: Dallas (4) Centenary (9)
Team Records: Dallas (6-24, 1-13 SCAC), Centenary (15-17, 6-8 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Abshire (4-6), L) Galvan (3-12)
A one-out single by Caitlyn Stevenson (Henderson, Nev.) in the top of the first got the Crusaders their first runner of the game. After getting in a rundown, a throwing error by Centenary's pitcher Nichole Aldridge advanced her to third. Julie Duenas singled through the left side to put Dallas up 1-0.
Back-to-back home runs by Smith and Dunn lifted the Ladies on top in the bottom of the inning.
The game was tied at 2-2 in the next half inning, as a throwing error trying to catch Watts stealing second allowed Cordova to score on the play.
Cordova came up with her team-leading third homer in her next at bat in the third inning to push the Crusaders up 4-2. Stevenson, who singled up the middle and stole second to start the inning, came in to score on the long ball.
UD held the Ladies scoreless in the third, but three runs in the fourth and a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth proved too much to overcome.
Hallie Smith plated the two go-ahead runs. LeBlanc got caught stealing to conclude the inning, but Kelsey Ancelot touched home before the out was applied.
Dunn also boasted a five-RBI day with a 4-for-4 in the second contest. Those four RBI were the last four runs counted for the Ladies. This included two home runs and a double. Her second of the game pushed the advantage to 7-4 with a two-run shot in the fifth. Her double to left center in the sixth drove in the final pair.
Dallas was outhit 14-7. Stevenson and Duenas had two-hit games, while Stevenson and Cordova scored two runs apiece. In addition to Cordova's lone hit, Golden and Tano added the other base knocks for the guests. Stevenson (2), Watts, and Tano combined for four stolen bases.
Galvan took the loss with four innings in the start. She yielded seven runs (4 earned) on eight hits and walked two.
Five of the first six hitters in the Ladies lineup produced multiple hit games. That quintet included: LeBlanc, Smith, Dunn, Hurley, and Cassie Gonzalez. Centenary also swiped four steals.
Taylor Abshire picked up the win in the circle with 5.2 innings of relief. She allowed two runs on five hits, and struck out three.
UP NEXT
These teams finish the series with a doubleheader at 12 p.m. on Sunday.