UTA rallies to sweep App State on Saturday
ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington seemed destined to split a doubleheader with Appalachian State on Saturday at Allan Saxe Field, trailing five runs going to the seventh.
The Mavericks were able to push five across in the seventh, taking advantage of two errors, and produced the game-winning hit in the eighth off the bat of Britnea Barilli.
"I really stayed low in my legs and tried to work through the ball," Barilli said. "We got down 6-0 in the first inning. I knew that any hit will start something and we wanted to get as many hits together to string together for the win."
Barilli finished Game 2 with a 4-for-5 effort from the plate, tallying six hits on the day.
UTA moved to 25-6 overall and 4-4 in the Sun Belt after the two-game sweep. Appalachian State fell to 7-29 and 1-10 in conference play.
"It was an ugly day, but I am really proud of this team," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "I am very proud of their fight and composure. I've said it all along that this group of girls sticks together and today they did."
UTA and App State conclude their series on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Game 1: UT Arlington 10, Appalachian State 2 (5)
UTA was able to come up with timely hitting to run-rule the Mountaineers in five innings to start off the doubleheader.
The Mavericks finished with just seven hits despite sending 10 across the plate. UTA was able to capitalize on nine walks. Laura Curry and Barilli led the Mavs with two hits apiece. Curry crossed the plate three times, tying with Sandra Mendoza for a game-high. Barilli had three RBI, tying with Kacey Everett.
Samantha Clakley allowed five hits scattered over her five innings pitched. Clakley struck out five and did not allow a walk.
Mallory Foster helped UTA jump out of the gates in the first. With runners on second and third, the junior sent a two-out single up the middle to bring home Barilli and Curry.
The Mavs plated another pair of runs in the third with a single from Barilli and a sacrifice fly by Everett.
Appalachian State cut the lead in half with two in the fourth, however, UTA responded right back with a spurt of its own. The Mavericks scored three in the bottom half, featuring a two-RBI single by Everett with two outs.
UTA put the game away in the fifth with three runs coming on two hits. Barilli sent a bloop single to left to bring home Mendoza for the winning run.
Game 2: UT Arlington 8, Appalachian State 7 (8)
UT Arlington was able to overcome a 7-0 deficit to down the Mountaineers in extra innings to conclude the day.
Barilli was one of four Mavericks to record multi-hit performances in Game 2 as Barilli had a game-high four. Sandra Mendoza, Laura Curry and Marisa Datko (making her first start of the year) each had two. UTA finished with 12 hits overall
Countering UTA's quick start in Game 1, the Mountaineers wasted little time in Game 2. App State sent six across in the opening inning, including a grand slam and a solo shot on back-to-back homers.
The Mountaineers pushed the lead to 7-0 in the third before UTA could provide any answer. Mya Anderson was able to lay off a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded to walk a run home.
After scoring a run in the sixth to cut the lead to five, UTA made the push to tie the game. The one-out rally opened on the first of two App State errors to allow Everett to come home. Krista Rude provided an infield single with bases loaded that was followed by a Rebecca Stokes groundout to cut the lead to two.
With two outs, Mendoza sent a 0-1 pitch down the left-field line to bring home Rude and Cy'Andria Newton, who pinch ran - Mendoza was thrown out at third on her triple as she went to far around the bag.
Clakley entered the game for the Mavs in relief in the eighth, working around a hit. Clakley moved to 14-4 after her second win of the day.
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MINAHAN LEADS JAGS PAST GEORGIA STATE ON SATURDAY
MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama softball swept Georgia State in a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader on Saturday to clinch its third consecutive league series behind a career day from junior center fielder Amanda Minahan.
Minahan hit 4-for-7 on Saturday, including a single, double, triple and home run, with a sacrifice bunt and stolen base, totaling four RBI and three runs scored.
Devin Brown (11-7) picked up the win in game one, holding the Panthers to only three hits with 10 strikeouts in the 7-0 Jaguar win. Destin Vicknair improved to 9-3 with her win in game two, a 5-2 victory for the hosts, after allowing only two runs (both earned) on 10 hits with three strikeouts.
USA (20-11, 8-2 SBC) will look to sweep the series versus GSU (19-17, 4-4 SBC) on Sunday, with the possibility of capturing a ninth-straight league win. First pitch is scheduled for noon. Links to live stats, video and ticket information can be found by accessing the Jaguar softball schedule page.
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Eagle Softball Blasts Four Home Runs in Doubleheader Sweep of UL Monroe
MONROE, La. – The Georgia Southern softball team blasted four home runs and collected 19 hits en route to claiming a pair of victories over UL Monroe in Sun Belt Conference action Saturday afternoon. The Eagles took the first game 9-4 before winning their 20th game and third SBC series of the season with a 6-1 victory in the second game.
Game 1 – GS 9, ULM 4
GS (20-16, 6-2 SBC) led the day off by jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the first game when Emily Snider and Morgan Robinson both scored after the ULM third baseman threw the ball away while trying to throw Hannah Farrell out at first.
The Warhawks (17-20, 3-8) were able to get a run back in the bottom of the second frame when Cheyanne Lyon hit a solo home run to right field, but freshman hurler Dixie Raley answered with three strikeouts in a row to end the threat.
As a response to the Warhawks' single run in the second, senior catcher A.J. Hamilton knocked her sixth home run of the year in the top of the third, scoring both Farrell and Robinson, to extend the lead back out for the Eagles.
ULM was able to score another run in the bottom of the third, but the Eagles answered by finishing the game with single runs in each of the final four innings. In the top of the fourth, Snider hit a sacrifice fly to left-center, scoring Lydia Witkowski from third who reached earlier on a triple to right-center field. In the top of the fifth, Farrell ripped her third home run of the season and then in the next inning, Morgan Robinson added to her RBI season total as she hit a base hit RBI to just behind the second baseman, scoring Witkowski for her second run of the game. India Davis then capped off the Eagles scoring drive in the top of the seventh when she scored off an error by the ULM left fielder, putting GS up 9-2.
The Warhawks managed to get a pair of runs back in the bottom of the seventh when Amye Barre hit a two-out, two-run home run to left field to set the score at 9-4, but that was as close as the Eagles would allow them to get.
Witkowski, Taylor Rogers, Robinson, Farrell and Alesha Mann all had two hits in the game for the Eagles while Witkowski, Robinson and Farrell each added a pair of runs scored. The Eagles racked up 13 hits in the series-opening contest.
Raley (14-7) pitched the complete game in the circle for the Eagles, striking out eight batters while giving up just three walks. Melanie Coyne (11-13) started the game and came back in to finish things up for ULM after leaving the game for an inning. She gave up 12 of the 13 hits and walked four batters compared to four strikeouts.
Game 2 – GS 6, ULM 1
The day's second game started off similarly to the first game as the Eagles jumped out to a multi-run lead early on, this time in the top of the second frame when Mann hit her fifth home run of the season. The shot to center field also scored Rowan McGuire and Macy Weeks, putting GS up 3-0.
Robinson followed that up an inning later by delivering her team-leading seventh home run of the season with a solo shot to right-center field.
ULM was able to get one run back in the bottom of the fourth inning but Robinson batted in her third run of the day a half inning later when she sent a single to right-center field and scored Witkowski from second. It was Witkowski's team-leading third run scored of the day.
Haley Carter was able to put a cap on the scoring drive in the top of the sixth when she raced home from second to put the Eagles up by the final tally of 6-1.
Robinson led the Eagles' offensive effort in the second game with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate that included batting in a pair of runs and scoring one herself. Witkowski, Hamilton, McGuire and Mann each had one hit.
Sophomore Kierra Camp (6-8) earned her sixth win of the season in game-two, pitching all seven innings while dealing six strikeouts. Paige Porter (3-2) was saddled with the loss for the 'Hawks as she pitched the complete game and surrendered the six runs, two earned.
COACH SMITH SAYS
"It's big to win series, especially in conference play. I was really happy for and proud of our team today because it is our goal every weekend to go out and win series. I was pleased with the effort and performance up and down our lineup – at the plate, on the mound and defensively. I thought we played good softball in both games against a tough UL Monroe team. They are a team that fights inning after inning, so to come out with two wins today was great."
UP NEXT
The Eagles and Warhawks will play the third and final game of the series on Sunday, Apr. 3. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. ET.
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Cajuns Extend Home and SBC Series Streak With Sweep
LAFAYETTE – The 4th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team extended its win streak at Lamson Park to 13 games and won its 25th consecutive Sun Belt series dating back to March 2013 with a 7-0, 5-2 sweep of Texas State in front of a crowd of 1,701 in the series-opening doubleheader on Saturday.
The Ragin' Cajuns (28-3, 9-1 Sun Belt) scored in four straight innings after a scoreless first inning of Game 1 in building the final margin. Alex Stewart (7.0 IP, 3 H, 11 K) pitched a shutout for the fourth straight Sun Belt Conference start, extending her string of consecutive scoreless innings pitched in league play to 26 innings, and notched a career-high tying 11 strikeouts.
Trailing Texas State (23-14, 4-7 Sun Belt) 2-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning of Game 2, the Ragin' Cajuns used three home runs – all with no outs – to produce a five-run rally.
The Ragin' Cajuns and Bobcats complete their three-game SBC series on Sunday in a 1 p.m. single game at Lamson Park. The game will be broadcast on SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM with Ian Auzenne and Bobby Neveaux on the call and a live stream will be available at RaginCajuns.com.
UL Lafayette hit seven home runs in the doubleheader, collecting four in Game 1 and three in Game 2 to increase the number of multiple home run games this season to 18.
Shellie Landry posted her 200th career base hit in the opener on a two-run homer in the second inning. Sara Corbello homered in both games of the twinbill, increasing her season total to seven and giving her five straight SBC games with a home run.
Aleah Craighton posted a hit in both games, the latter a solo home run for the game-winning run in Game 2. Craighton's home run was her 10th of the season, moving her into double digits with Lexie Elkins (17) and DJ Sanders (11).
Elkins missed both games with a thumb injury. The nation's leading home run hitter and Cajuns catcher is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with the injury. Brittany Nollkamper, a freshman, filled in and made her collegiate debut.
Both teams' leadoff batter reached base and advanced to second base in the second inning of Game 1. Stewart stranded the Bobcats' runner, while the Ragin' Cajuns were able to push across runs off of Texas State's Randi Rupp.
Kara Gremillion walked to start the Cajuns' half of the second inning and later moved to third base after a wild pitch and Kassidy Zeringue bunt single. Haley Hayden lifted a sacrifice fly to left field and Landry followed with a two-run homer to the left field bleachers for a 3-0 lead.
Stewart kept the momentum on Louisiana's side as she retired the Bobcats in order in the third inning. Sanders added to the lead by belting a two-run home run in the Cajuns' second at bat of the bottom of the third, upping the advantage to 5-0.
The Bobcats had two runners in scoring position in the fourth inning following a two-out single by Jaelyn Young. Stewart struck out Kendall Wiley swinging to keep the visitors off the scoreboard.
The Ragin' Cajuns scored for a third straight inning when Hayden led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run down the left field line. Corbello kept the string of scoring frames going for Louisiana in the fifth inning with a solo home run down the left field line.
Stewart completed the shutout by retiring the final six Bobcats that she faced, three coming by strikeout to reach her career-high tying 11th of the contest.
The teams played scoreless softball through the first four innings of Game 2. Texas State's Paige Williams pitched around a Cajuns baserunner in each of the first three innings, while Kylee Jo Trahan left a Bobcats runner stranded from the second through fourth inning.
Texas State struck first, snapping the scoreless tie in the fifth inning, on a solo home run to right center by Wiley. The Bobcats added a single run to their lead in the sixth inning on a Taylor Webb sacrifice fly off of Cajuns reliever Macey Smith.
The Ragin' Cajuns were able to break through in the sixth inning, plating five runs off of three home runs – all with no outs.
Landry led off with a single up the middle. The Bobcats elected to lift Williams for reliever Quincy Charleston and Kelsey Vincent unloaded a home run to left center to draw a 2-2 tie.
Williams re-entered in the circle, but surrendered the home run Craighton and the Cajuns took the lead for good. After Sanders was hit by a pitch, Corbello kept the pressure on with a two-run home run to center field to cap the scoring and register her fifth straight Sun Belt game with a home run.