Bats Break Through in Series Finale, but Crusaders Overwhelmed by No. 23 Southwestern
GEORGETOWN, Texas – The University of Dallas softball team fell to No. 23 Southwestern University in a doubleheader on Saturday, as the host team finished off a four-game sweep in conference play. It also concluded the regular season for both sides.
In game one, Lindsey Longuet was masterful in five innings as she scattered a pair of hits and walked one en route to the team's eighth straight shutout against a league opponent. The offense powered through a five-run fourth to build an eight-run lead that led an a five-inning run-rule.
The Crusaders doubled their scoring output in five contests this week by scoring four runs within the first two innings of the night cap. The visitors led 4-3 early on, but the Pirates regained the lead with five runs in the home second. They pulled away with six runs in the sixth to seal their 19th straight conference win.
(Game 1 Information)
Team Scores: Dallas (0), Southwestern (8)
Team Records: Dallas (7-30, 2-19 SCAC), Southwestern (32-4, 17-3 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Lindsey Longuet (14-2), L) Emily Martin (0-5)
The Crusaders stranded a leadoff single in the first inning with the next three batters making an out. The next three innings though would result in SU gaining at least a run, as it tallied 10 hits and seven of them for extra bases.
Katelyn Frances and Kylie Nixon doubled home runs for a two-run second inning. Katie Bricarell singled in the team's lone run for the third inning, which scored Jordan Farber.
Dallas in four innings just had Caitlyn Stevenson (Henderson, Nev.) reach on an infield single to the catcher that started the ballgame and made it to second on a passed ball. Bri Torres (Cypress, Texas) got on with a walk in the second inning, but then Longuet retired the next seven – three of them via an infield pop-up.
The Pirates' starter went five innings in the circle and only had two hits given up, with the other being a double to Mackenzie Tano (Wylie) in the top of the fifth. Dallas never had a runner move past second and two hitters struck out as Longuet earned the shutout.
Southwestern University extended the lead with a five-run fourth inning. A hit by pitch, single and error loaded the bases. Tori Montemayor grounded out for an RBI, and then two batters later Kaitlynn Copher blasted a three-run shot to make it 7-0. Maddie Mefford doubled in the last run, as the Pirates finished with six total. Both of Meffords hits were two-baggers. Bricarell had the other multi-hit game.
Emily Martin (San Jose, Calif.) got the start and went two innings, while allowing two runs on four hits and walking one. Karina Campo (Georgetown, Texas) allowed six runs (two earned) on six hits. She didn't have a walk allowed. Lindsay Devlin (Leander, Texas) got the final out in the fourth. None of the UD pitchers recorded a strikeout.
(Game 2 Information)
Team Scores: Dallas (6), Southwestern (14)
Team Records: Dallas (7-31, 2-20 SCAC), Southwestern (33-4, 18-3 SCAC)
Pitcher Records: W) Bailey Meyer (11-1), L) Maggie Watts (1-6)
The Crusaders broke through in the run column for the first time this series and had their first lead of a game in the top of the first inning, when Blyss Johnson (Wells, Texas) reached on an error that allowed Julie Duenas (Houston, Texas) to score. Duenas had doubled with two outs and Liz Cordova (Oklahoma City, Okla.) reached on a hit by pitch to get the lineup to Johnson.
There was a three-run bottom of the inning for the Pirates to regain the lead. After two groundouts, Copher doubled, and an error by UD allowed the game-tying run to score. It extended the inning for three singles in a row that led to another pair of unearned runs, as Frances and Nixon picked up the ribbies.
It was the lone error of the game for the Crusaders, but defense in the second inning for the home team allowed three more runs to come home as an error on the left fielder scored Katelyn Lazarek (Seattle Wash.) and Tera Espinosa (Caldwell, Texas). The bottom three spots in the lineup: Lazarek, Espinosa, and Brianna Hale (Austin, Texas) singled to start the frame. Each member of the trio scored, as Hale came in an RBI-groundout by Duenas.
The Pirates made three errors in the game.
Copher went yard for her second three-run home run of the twinbill and propelled Southwestern back on top 6-4. Maggie Watts (Arcadia, La.) had allowed three other hits to give her seven allowed at that juncture, as the starter would reenter later. A home run by Francis was good for two more runs as Bricarell doubled earlier and came in to score.
Haley Henson (Chandler, Texas) went 2.2 innings to match a season-long in relief. Her lone blemish was the long ball for the only hit allowed. She also had one walk. Paige Rasmussen (El Campo, Texas) made her first appearance in the circle since March 16 against Schreiner University at home. After a 1-2-3 fifth inning, she loaded the bases with a single and pair of walks. A strikeout to Bricarell was the second out and lone one of the twinbill for Dallas pitching, but three straight walks ended Rasmussen's outing. Watts returned and could not find the last out as consecutive singles ended the game in six.
In the previous half inning, the Crusaders had challenged the top-25 ranked team by closing the deficit to a pair of runs. Hale and Stevenson singled to center on back-to-back hits after a leadoff out. A fielder's choice with an out at third kept a pair on for Duenas, who drove in Stevenson and Torres on a single to right field.
The Crusaders finished with a series-high eight hits, with Duenas and Hale accounting for half of them with two apiece. Duenas recorded her seventh double on the season.
Southwestern clobbered 12 hits with a trio of players having 2-for-3 performances in Copher, Francis, and Andrea Hern. Francis led the team with four RBI, while Copher had three on her blast to go with a team-high three runs.
Meyer went the distance in six innings, as only the last two runs of her six allowed were earned. She struck out four and walked one.
UP NEXT
Dallas qualified for the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Tournament as the No. 6 seed. The Crusaders will play host school and No. 3 Seed Centenary College on Friday, April 26, with a first pitch slated for 1:30 p.m.