Mavs sweep doubleheader to take series
ARLINGTON, Texas – UT Arlington softball snapped its season-high six-game losing streak with back-to-back walk-off wins over ULM on Saturday at Allan Saxe Field.
"After battling in the first game and to keep fighting in the second, those are things that we have to build off of," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "The excitement is that out of all the things that didn't go our way, one finally did."
UTA (27-12, 6-9 SBC) earned its third Sun Belt series win over ULM (20-25, 6-12) since the two became conference members in 2013. Fox also achieved her 100th career win in her four-year tenure at UTA.
Sandra Mendoza was 6-for-10 with three runs, and an RBI to hit .600 on the weekend. Mallory Foster had a solid weekend at the plate, with her solo home run in Game 1 of the series highlighting fueling her .444 series batting average.
Brooklynne Simbeck and Samantha Clakley combined to throw 25 innings, giving up only 6 earned runs, while striking out 10.
The Mavericks will travel to Lamar for a nonconference game on Tuesday at 2 p.m. The Sun Belt break comes before a three-game series at Georgia State this weekend.
Game 1: UT Arlington 4, ULM 3 (11)
The Mavericks battled in their longest game since 2013, and Kacey Everett was the hero for UTA as she reached on a fielding error to walk it off 4-3 in the bottom of the 11th.
The victory marked the first of a game longer than 10 innings for the Mavericks since 2006.
Clakley evened her record in the series and tossed a career-high 11 frames, allowing three runs on eight hits, four strikeouts and a career-high four walks.
UTA notched 11 hits to the Warhawks’ eight, and both teams committed three errors.
Mendoza extended her hit streak to 12 games and went 3-for-3 with three runs and three walks. Laura Curry was 2-for-4, including two RBI, a triple and a walk. Bri Burchianti made her first career start at first base.
ULM scratched the scoreboard in its first at-bats of the day on an RBI double and the Mavs answered in the bottom half of the inning with Everett’s screamer to left field to tie the game 1-1.
The Warhawks struck with a run in the top of the fourth on a throwing error by Everett attempting to throw out a runner at second.
ULM obtained a 3-1 lead in the sixth on three hits, which fueled a Maverick comeback in the bottom half of the inning. Curry drilled a triple to the right field fence to tie the ballgame at three apiece.
The Mavericks left a pair of runners on in the bottom of the ninth and couldn’t convert in the tenth after Rude was handed a base on a throwing error.
Game 2: UT Arlington 4, ULM 3
UTA transferred momentum into the series finale and erupted for three runs in the bottom of the third inning before the game was taken down to the wire in the final frame.
The Warhawks made some noise in the seventh inning and erased UTA’s 3-1 lead with three consecutive singles and a fielder’s choice to second base.
Tied at three apiece, UTA grabbed the bats with discipline and intensity. Rude reached first safely on a bunt and with one out Mendoza pounded a double to left center to send across the winning run.
Mendoza finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI and was a key contributor in UTA’s Saturday success. The leadoff hitter was 6-for-10 at the dish with three runs, an RBI walkoff double and no errors at second base. Her hit streak reached 13 games in the nightcap.
Clakley (16-9) was called to relieve starter Simbeck in the seventh inning and allowed two earned runs on three hits and one punch out to add another win to her record.
Simbeck had a strong effort in her six innings of work, handing out one run on four hits, four walks and two strikeouts.
Foster singled to center field to lead off the action and Everett drew a walk behind her before designated player Marisa Datko plated both runners on a ground ball that escaped up the middle.
One batter later, Shelbi Sikes doubled down the right field line to send Datko across to up the Mavs’ lead to 3-0.
The Warhawks cut into UTA’s lead in the third inning on two hits and a Maverick error. With runners on the corners, a fielder’s choice to first base forced a quick out at the plate, but contact to shortstop allowed ULM to jump on the board, 3-1.
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Texas State Softball Splits With Troy Saturday Afternoon
TROY, Ala. – The Texas State softball team picked up the split Saturday afternoon against Troy on the road. The Bobcats won game one by a score of 2-1 before dropping game two by a 3-2 margin. The split moves Texas State to 26-16 overall and 5-9 in Sun Belt Conference play.
The Bobcats scattered eight hits in game one while scoring two runs to come away with the victory. Texas State took the early 1-0 lead in the top of the second before the Trojans tied it up in the third. A triple by Taylor Webb combined with a single by Corrina Liscano in the sixth led to the game-winning run for Texas State.
Troy took an early 3-0 lead in the first two innings of game two. Two runs for the Bobcats in the top of the fourth cut the Trojan lead down to one, but that would prove to be the last time a runner crossed the plate for Texas State. The Bobcats had a chance in the top of the seventh with the bases loaded, but a strikeout for Troy ended the game.
Texas State will look to take the series against the Trojans tomorrow at 12 p.m. CT at the Troy Softball Complex.
WHO STOOD OUT
Randi Rupp / P / Sophomore / Mont Belvieu, Texas
Rupp threw 6.1 innings for Texas State for the day. In game one, Rupp earned her 18th victory of the season after putting in five innings of work with 12 strikeouts. She allowed just one hit all day while striking out 15 in her 6.1 innings pitched. Game one marked the eighth time this season she had struck out at least 10 batters. Rupp now has 225 strikeouts this season.
Kimberlin Naivar / LF / Junior / Mont Belvieu, Texas
Naivar led the Bobcats offensively as she finished the day going 4-for-8 with three hits in game one. Naivar was one of two Bobcats to record a hit in both games. It was the first time this season that Naivar had recorded three hits in a game and it was the fifth time this season she had at least two hits in a game.
Jaelyn Young / C / Junior / Murrieta, Calif.
Young went 2-for-4 with a double, a single, and two walks for Texas State. Young’s double in the fourth inning of game two scored the two Bobcat runs. She has also successfully reached base in the last five straight games, which matches her season-high.
Taylor Webb / RF / Sophomore / Richmond, Texas
Webb finished the day going 3-for-7 and was one of two Bobcats to have a hit in both games. Webb recorded her first career triple in game one which led to her scoring the game-winning run. She, like Young, has reached base successfully in the last five straight games.
Quincy Charleston / P / Junior / Carthage, Mo.
Charleston pitched a total of 5.1 innings for Texas State with no earned runs allowed. In game one, Charleston earned her second save of the season after pitching two scoreless innings when Texas State had the 2-1 lead.
SCORING RECAP
Game 1
· Top 2nd – Corrina Liscano led the inning off with a single through the right side. After Jaelyn Young walked to put runners on first and second, Sara Rupp laid down a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position. Kendall Wiley, with one out, hit a sacrifice fly to right field to put the Bobcats up 1-0. (1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
· Bottom 3rd – A double to left center with one out was the first Troy hit of the game. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third and a pass ball brought in the game-tying run. (1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on base)
· Top 6th – With two outs after a double play by the Troy defense, Taylor Webb hit a triple to right center. Liscano then drove Webb in for the go-ahead run. (1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
Game 2
· Bottom 1st – Kate Benton led the game off with a single to centerfield. After stealing second and advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt, Benton scored on a single by Hannah Day to right center. (1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
· Bottom 2nd – With a runner on first and one out, Becca Hartley doubled to left center to bring in the first run of the inning. On the next at bat, Quincy Charleston registered the strikeout, but a wild pitch followed by Jaelyn Young throwing to third to try and catch the base runner stealing resulted in the batter reaching first. The second run of the inning scored when the runner on third advanced home on the throw down to second. (2 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
· Top 4th – Texas State registered a hit by Taylor Webb and walks by Ariel Ortiz and Kendall Wiley to load the bases for Jaelyn Young with two outs. Young proceeded to knock a two-run single to left center to make it 3-2. (2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base).
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Gators Claim Series Win in Top 5 Matchup in Gainesville
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 1 Florida claimed the series victory in a Top 5 matchup with the No. 5-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team by posting a 5-1, 14-1 (5 inn.) doubleheader sweep on Saturday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Saturday's games marked the first time the two programs faced off since the 2008 Women's College World Series and was the first-ever meetings in Gainesville.
A four-run third inning helped provide the Gators (40-3) with the necessary runs for the winning margin in the opener. The hosts plated seven runs in the first inning of the back end of the twinbill to capture the momentum.
Kara Gremillion posted her fifth multiple-hit game with a 2-for-3 performance in the opener that saw her post a hit in each of her first two at bats. Aleah Craighton posted her 14th home run of the season, the second-highest total on the team, in Game 2.
No. 5 Louisiana (32-5) and Florida close out the weekend series on Sunday with a single game at 12 p.m. (CDT). The contest will air on SEC Network Plus via WatchESPN (website and smartphone app) and can be heard on SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM.
Alex Stewart (17-2, 1.64 ERA) struck out five and posted her sixth game of no walks in a complete game outing in Game 1. The Gators countered with Delanie Gourley who fanned 13 in her seven innings in the circle.
UF snapped a scoreless tie in the second inning with a solo home run by Janell Wheaton, then took advantage of miscues to plate four runs (two unearned) in the third inning that stretched the lead to 5-0.
Stewart blanked the Gators in their final three at bats and the offense made push in the fifth inning by having the tying run on deck after Taylor Terrio was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Haley Hayden sent a ground ball to third base which allowed Gremillion (double) to cross the plate and trim the UF lead to 5-1. Gourley escaped the jam with a strikeout of Shellie Landry, then retired each of the next six Cajuns faced in the sixth and seventh to wrap up the win.
A three-run home run by Kayli Kvistad, who had a game-high six RBI, and a two-run triple by Aubree Munro were the key hits in the seven-run first for the Gators in Game 2.
Florida added runs in each of its final three at bats, starting with Kvistad's second home run of the game in the second inning.
Craighton's home run in the fourth inning broke Aleshia Ocasio's shutout bid and was only the second home run the Gators righty has allowed this season.
The Ragin' Cajuns kept the pressure on Ocasio before she could exit the frame. DJ Sanders was hit by a pitch, Sara Corbello singled through the left side and Gremillion reached base on an infield single, loading the bases. A strikeout and ground ball helped Ocasio escape the jam.
Kylee Jo Trahan (10-3, 2.17 ERA) was charged with the loss after being responsible for the first four runs the Gators scored in the first inning. Victoria Brown closed out the first inning and pitched through three complete. Alison Deville worked in the circle for the Gators' final at bat.
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DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP OF GA. SOUTHERN GIVES SOFTBALL SCHOOL-RECORD SBC WIN STREAK
STATESBORO, Ga. – University of South Alabama softball swept a Saturday doubleheader against Georgia Southern to clinch its fifth-straight Sun Belt Conference series and improve its league winning streak to a school-record 14 games.
USA (26-11, 14-2 SBC) surmounted its previous SBC win streak of 13 games, set in the 2015 season. The Jaguars, second in the league behind Louisiana-Lafayette, recorded two run-rule victories against the third-place Eagles (24-19, 9-5 SBC) on Saturday, winning 11-1 and 14-0 in games one and two, respectively.
South Alabama will go for a fifth-straight league series sweep on Sunday in the finale slated to start at noon CT. Links to live stats and play-by-play audio can be found by accessing the Jaguar softball schedule page. In-game Twitter updates are provided for each USA contest via the program's official handle, @USAJagsSoftball.
The Jaguars outscored Georgia Southern, 25-1, on Saturday, outhitting them, 22-7. USA set a new season high in walks drawn in game one with eight and mirrored that mark in the nightcap. South Alabama scored a season-high 14 runs on a season-high 14 hits in game two, totaling a season-high 20 bases in five innings.
The 14-point mark margin of victory was the largest for any Jaguar team since a 14-0 win over Louisiana-Monroe in five innings on April 20, 2013.
"The offense was solid, and we had some great at-bats today," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "Our goal coming into the day was to play a complete two games - to play every pitch. I felt like we stayed aggressive the entire time. We ran the bases well, and I thought Devin [Brown] and Destin [Vicknair] did a great job pounding the [strike] zone. We made the plays we needed to make on defense. All around it was a great team day. Our goal tomorrow will be to be better than we were today."
Game One – South Alabama 11, Georgia Southern 1
USA scored in each of the first four innings in game one and blew the contest open with a six-run fourth frame. Devin Brown picked up the win in the circle, improving to 15-7 after striking out five to three walks while allowing one run (earned) on five hits in five innings.
Haleigh Lowe's base hit through the right side plated Emily Messer for USA's first run and the first RBI for Lowe, who set a new career-high with four in the contest on 2-for-2 hitting. Stephanie Pilkington lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Kaleigh Todd later in the inning, doubling USA's lead to 2-0.
The Jaguars scratched two more across to go ahead, 4-0, an inning later on Lowe's two-run base hit, which scored Messer and pinch-runner Taylor Stevens. Stevens substituted in for Alex Breeden, who led off the inning with a walk. The run was the first of Stevens's career.
After a pair of Brown strikeouts, Georgia Southern's Michelle Mazur homered to left field to cut the Jaguar lead to 4-1.
Haleigh Lane answered with a leadoff triple in the top of the third, and scored on Dayla Gulledge's sacrifice fly, as the visitors took a 5-1 lead.
The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the third when Hannah Farrell reached on a fielder's choice and the made it to third on a Jaguar throwing error, but Brown fanned AJ Hamilton to keep the hosts at bay.
USA put the game out of reach with an offensive explosion in the top of the fourth, beginning with back-to-back leadoff walks from Todd and Lowe. The pair moved into scoring position on Heather Felt's wild pitch, before Todd scored on an Eagle fielding error that allowed Amanda MInahan to reach.
Pilkington supplied an RBI single up the middle to plate Lowe to make it 7-1 Jaguars, and Kristian Foster was hit by a pitch to load the bags. After Lane's line out, Breeden singled to score Minahan, and Gulledge plated Pilkington with a base hit to push the visitor lead to 9-1.
Todd took one off the ribs to send runners around, Foster scoring, and Lowe drew a walk for her fourth RBI, as Breeden came around on the play to make it 11-1.
Georgia Southern led off the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back singles in a bid for a rally, but Brown reeled in a bunt attempt and assisted in a force out at home to shut the door. She retired the Eagle lineup in order in the bottom of the fifth to see the game out.
Eagle starter Dixie Raley suffered the loss after allowing four runs (all earned) on three hits with two strikeouts and five walks. Felt gave up five runs (all earned) on two hits with two walks in 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Kaylee Ramos allowed two runs (one earned) on as many hits with a strikeout in 2/3 of an inning, and Amanda Chambers threw 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief with a walk.
Game Two – South Alabama 14, Georgia Southern 0
USA kept the pressure on in game two by scoring six runs in the top of the first. Again, the Jags scored in all but one inning and got a lights-out performance in the circle, this time from Destin Vicknair, who recorded her sixth-consecutive victory to improve to 11-3 after striking out four with no walks and holding Georgia Southern to only two hits in five frames.
After walks from Messer and Lowe, Minahan delivered a two-run double to put the Jags up, 2-0. A wild Kierra Camp pitch allowed Pilkington, who reached on an error, to score and push the Jags ahead by three runs.
Lane then grounded out to second to give Minahan time to round home plate. Foster was then hit by another pitcher, Breeden reached on a fielding error, and Gulledge drew a walk to load the bags. Messer and Todd each supplied back-to-back RBI singles to score Foster and Breeden and put the Jags up, 6-0.
Singles from Pilkington and Lane and a Foster walk loaded the bags for Breeden, who drew a walk to score the former. Gulledge then took one off the leg to score Lane to make it 8-0 visitors.
Vicknair retired the Eagles in order for a second time in the bottom of the second, before USA extended its lead to 11-0 with a three scores, all with two outs on the board, in the top of the third. Minahan started the rally by lifted her team-leading fourth home run over the wall in left field.
Lane then singled and moved to second on a wild pitch, scoring on Foster's subsequent base hit. Freshman Savanna Mayo, in her first at-bat in two weeks, plated Foster with the first of her two doubles – a Jaguar single-game-tying feat.
Megan Harris drew a leadoff walk after coming on to pinch hit in the top of the fifth inning and scored on Todd's RBI infield single, as USA went up, 12-0. A wild pitch allowed Mayo to score, and Lowe singled to plate Messer for the final winning margin.
Camp suffered the loss for the Eagles after giving up eight runs (four earned) on five hits with a strikeout and four walks in 1 1/3 innings. Chambers gave up three runs (all earned) on as many hits with a walk in 1 1/3 relief frames. Felt allowed three runs (all earned) on six hits with a strikeout and three walks in 1 2/3 innings, and Raley struck out one batter in 2/3 of an inning.
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Offense Leads GSU to Doubleheader Sweep
BOONE, N.C. – Georgia State exploded for 26 runs in a doubleheader sweep of conference-foe Appalachian State Saturday, winning Game 1 15-0 (6) and Game 2 11-9. GSU tallied a total of 28 hits in the two contests.
Game 1 | GSU 15, APP 0 (6)
Georgia State struck for four runs in the second inning. Three straight singles loaded the bases for Brenna Skalski with one out. Skalski sent a bounced to the right side that deflected off the first baseman’s glove and bounced into right field. The right fielder’s throw to home was wide of the cut and went all the way to the backstop, allowing all three runs to come home and Skalski to advance to third. Ivie Drake then rocketed a two-out single off the top of the wall in center field that scored Skalski to put the Panthers on top 4-0.
Georgia State added two runs in the top of the fifth on three hits. Drake doubled to right-center field to start things off. Reagan Morgan then singled and moved to second on a fielder’s choice. The second pitch to Mandy Blackwell got past the catcher, allowing Drake to score from third. Two pitches later, Blackwell lined a single that brought Morgan home to make it a 6-0 game.
The Panthers added insurance in the sixth. After three straight walks to load the bases, Drake blasted her 11th home run of the season, a grand slam to right-center. Drake’s second career grand slam gave her sole possession of second place on GSU’s career home run list with 33, five shy of Callie Alford’s 38. That would just be the start of the inning, however, as the Panthers would go on to score nine runs on just five hits. App State walked seven batters in the frame.
Katie Worley picked up her 10th win of the season, going four full and giving up no runs on three hits. The senior now has at least 10 wins in three of her four years at GSU. Amanda Chance came on in relief and held App to one hit in two innings of work.
Game 2 | GSU 11, APP 9
Georgia State grabbed a 1-0 lead with Taylor Anderson’s two-out RBI-single in the first inning. Heading into the home half, GSU’s pitchers had held opponents scoreless for 19 innings in a row. During that stretch, the Panthers outscored opponents 33-0. The streak came to an end in the bottom of the first as the Mountaineers took their first lead of the series with a three-run home run with two outs.
Down 3-1, the Panthers rallied in the next inning. With two outs, freshman Remington Hasty singled, her third hit in as many at-bats. That brought Drake up to the plate who hit her 12th home run of the season, tying the game at 3-3. The two RBI put Drake at 101 for her career, seventh most in GSU history.
Appalachian State retook the lead with a solo home run in the third that chased starting pitcher Annie Davis. Chance came in to pitch and went the remaining five innings, giving up two runs on only two hits.
GSU scored two runs in the top of the fourth off the bats of Caldwell and Blackwell. Caldwell doubled to score the game-tying run and Blackwell put the Panthers on top with an RBI-single to right.
The Panthers then put the game out of reach with a six-spot in the fifth inning. GSU scored six runs on five hits, highlighted by Caldwell’s seventh long ball of the year. Her three-run home run helped the Panthers lead 11-4 heading into the home half of the inning.
Appalachian State made things interesting in the final innings, scoring two runs in the fifth and three in the seventh to pull within two.
Georgia State improves to 23-22 (6-8 SBC) with the sweep and will face the Mountaineers for a third and final time Sunday at noon.