Sunday, April 12, 2015
UTA wins series vs. ULM in extras
MONROE, La. - UT Arlington completed a comeback win in extra innings to defeat ULM 11-8 in eight innings at ULM Softball Complex on Sunday in Sun Belt play.
Down 6-2 to start the fifth, the Mavericks scored a pair of runs in each of the next three innings to take an 8-6 lead. ULM rallied to tie the game in the seventh, but Sandra Mendoza and Nina Villanueva provided the final blow to lift UTA in the series. Mendoza singled to push UTA back up, while Villanueva's two-run double put the game away.
"ULM is the No. 3 team in our conference right now and to go on the road and win the series shows how much this team loves to compete," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "These were hard fought wins and they battles through adversity. I love the growth this team has shown."
The win improved the Mavericks to 26-19 overall and 7-8 in SBC play. The 26 wins are the most for UTA in a season under third-year coach Kristie Fox.
Mendoza finished 3-for-5 from the plate with three runs and an RBI. Mya Anderson led with a game-high four hits. She knocked in two RBI and crossed the plate once.
UTA starter Sam Montes (13-10) settled in after allowing four runs in the third. Montes gave up eight runs (two earned) over eight innings pitched to earn the win.
"Sam left everything on that field today and I'm glad we could produce enough to get her the win," Fox said.
The Mavericks return to action when they travel to Austin to face Texas on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and the game is featured on the Longhorn Network.
Anderson put UTA on the board with a two-out double to left to score Villanueva in the first. The lead was doubled in the second as Rebecca Stokes took advantage of a fielding error to make it 2-0.
The Warhawks would score six unanswered runs between the second and fourth innings before UTA began its rally.
With two outs in the fifth Anderson singled up the middle as part of the first of three consecutive hits for the Mavs. Anderson scored on another ULM error before Britnea Barilli's single to score Meagan Michele cut the lead down to just two.
Mendoza scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the sixth and Michele's single up the middle brought home Marisa Datko to tie the game.
Shelbi Sikes gave the Mavs the lead as she drew a walk. Anderson, again providing a two-out hit, singled up the middle that made the score 8-6 in favor of UTA.
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Walk-Off Hit By Ariel Ortiz Lifts Texas State To Series Victory Over Troy Sunday
SAN MARCOS, Texas – A walk-off double by Ariel Ortiz in the bottom of the seventh inning led the Texas State softball team to a 4-3 victory on Sunday against the Troy Trojans. With the victory Sunday, the Bobcats took the series, 2-1, over the Trojans. Texas State improves to 24-19 overall and 8-6 in Sun Belt Conference play.
The wins this weekend clinched a spot for the Bobcats in the upcoming Sun Belt Conference Tournament scheduled to take place on May 6-9 at the Bobcat Softball Stadium.
Ortiz finished the day with a 2-for-4 showing from the plate and an RBI. Her double in the bottom of the seventh was her team-leading 16th double of the 2015 season.
Kaylee Garner earned the victory Sunday and improves to 5-3 on the year. Garner put in 4.1 innings of relief work for the Bobcats while allowing zero runs and striking out three.
Troy put up a one spot in the top of the second inning after stringing together a pair of hits by Carli Kayler and Kate Benton. The Bobcats responded in the bottom half of the inning thanks to Kimberlin Naivar with a double to left center. Kendall Wiley led the inning off with a walk before Naivar connected on her pitch to send Wiley home.
The tie didn’t last long as the Trojans quickly added two in the top of the third inning. Texas State had a chance to return the favor in the third as Kelli Baker led the inning off with a walk and Ortiz singled through the left side to put a pair of runners on with no outs. The Troy defense proceeded to make two solid plays, first with a line drive to third to get the force out at third and second a line drive straight to the pitcher who then threw Courtney Harris out at first for a double play.
Two scoreless innings later the Bobcat bats struck again. In the bottom of the sixth, Harris notched her first hit of the day with a single through the left side. After being moved to second on a ground ball by Kortney Koroll, Harris was sent home with a single through the left side by Wiley. The hot bats continued for the ‘Cats as Taylor Webb promptly stepped up to the plate to hit a double on the first pitch to left center field, scoring the third run of the day for Texas State.
In the bottom of the seventh, Baker became the first Bobcat on base in the inning after reaching on an error by the Troy shortstop. Ortiz then launched a double off the centerfield wall that ricocheted away from the centerfielder, allowing Baker to make her way home for the game-winning run.
Four of the seven Bobcat hits on the day were doubles. Texas State has hit 55 doubles so far this season.
Texas State will remain at home on Wednesday for a single non-conference game against Houston Baptist. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Bobcat Softball Stadium. Live stats, live audio, and live video will be available at www.txstatebobcats.com. For ticket information, fans can go online at www.txstatebobcats.com/tickets or call the Texas State Athletics Ticket Office at 512-245-2272.
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Litumbe Ties HR Record; GSU Now Preps for DH at No. 8 Florida State
ATLANTA – In the bottom of the fifth Megan Litumbe launched her 17th homer of the season to tie the GSU single-season record but it was not enough as Georgia State fell in the series finale against Appalachian State Sunday afternoon.
Ashley Christy led the way with two hits, including a home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Ivie Drake blasted her 16th homer of the season in the first inning. Litumbe finished tied for the team lead with two RBI while Taylor Anderson also scored for the Panthers.
Georgia State jumped in front early, 3-0, before Appalachian State scored seven unanswered to take a 7-3 lead. The Panthers responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth on Litumbe’s homer to make it a 7-5 game after five complete.
Then after a scoreless sixth, the Mountaineers blew the game open with seven runs in the top of the seventh before retiring the GSU side in order in the bottom of the frame to secure the 14-5 victory.
Georgia State now turns its focus to midweek doubleheader at. No. 8 Florida State on Wednesday, April 15. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at JoAnne Graf Field in Tallahassee, Fla.
Follow along with Georgia State on Twitter (@GSU_Softball) and Facebook for the latest news. For softball season tickets call 404-403-4020 or click here.
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No. 22 Jags Win Weather-Shortened Finale to Complete Softball Sweep
MOBILE, Ala. – No. 22 University of South Alabama softball defeated Georgia Southern, 7-2, in Sunday's Sun Belt Conference series finale, which was called in the bottom of the fifth inning after a 40-minute rain delay.
USA (31-7, 14-3 SBC) completes its fourth consecutive league series sweep, increasing its winning streak in SBC play to 13 games. South Alabama moves to 16-4 at home this year and has now won 15 of its last 16 contests.
The Jaguars claimed both contests in Saturday's doubleheader versus the Eagles, 7-0 and 11-0, winning the second via mercy rule, powered by senior right-hander Farish Beard's third-career no-hitter.
Beard was credited with Sunday's win in 3 1/3 starting innings, while freshman Kalen McGIll, who picked up a complete-game victory in game one, recorded her fourth save of the year, which stands as the third-most in South Alabama program history.
Jaguar senior shortstop Kaitlyn Griffith led the club on 2-for-3 hitting with three RBI and two runs scored, including a home run in the fourth inning that put USA ahead, 6-2. The homer was Griffith's 11th on the year, which ties the single-season school record. Now with 26 home runs in her career, she is two shy of tying former standout Christin Crocker's career standard.
Junior third baseman Emily Messer was also 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, including an inside-the-park home run in the third inning. It was a first for Messer and the first for any Jaguar since former center fielder Britany Campbell accomplished the feat on Feb. 17, 2013, versus Central Arkansas at Jaguar Field.
"It was good for us to play in those types of conditions today and figure it out, because those are the kinds of things that you may face in the postseason," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "We started a little bit slow but picked it up at the end.
"The game was called after we loaded the bases, so you're optimistic, thinking something big was about to happen there, too," she added. "Overall, I thought it was a good day for us; we took a step forward. We're a better team because of today."
Georgia Southern jumped ahead, 2-0, in the top of the third before USA reeled off seven unanswered before heavy rains moved into the area.
Emily Snider put the Eagles on the board with a two-out, two-run double down the left field line, which plated Alesha Mann, who walked, and Kaitlyn Johnson, who singled to led the inning off.
The Jaguars answered with three runs a half-inning later. Messer sent a screamer down the left field line and raced around the bags to score USA's first run. Griffith drove in freshman Kaleigh Todd, who pinch ran for classmate Kristian Foster, who walked, with a double to left field as the Jaguars knotted scoring, 2-2.
Sophomore Chloe Rathburn then singled to left field to score Griffith from third after the latter stole to put USA ahead, 3-2.
The Jags scratched three more across to go ahead, 6-2, in the fourth inning, beginning with a wild Kierra Camp pitch that scored Messer from third. Griffith's then lifted her seventh homer over the last 10 games to right center, also scoring junior catcher Stephanie Pilkington on the play.
Pilkington drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the fifth to score senior first baseman Amanda Herron, who led off the frame with a single up the middle, followed by Messer's walk and a Foster hit by pitch, before the rain delay was put into effect.
USA outhit the Eagles, 9-4, in the finale and took advantage of one Georgia Southern error.
With the win, which improved her record to 8-2 this season, Beard moved to 6-0 in SBC play after she struck out two to three walks and gave up two runs (both earned) on only two Eagle hits in 3 1/3 innings. McGill scattered a pair of hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Heather Felt suffered the loss for Georgia Southern, falling to 2-7 on the year after allowing three runs (all earned) on five Jaguar hits with a strikeout and four walks in 2 1/3 innings. Camp gave up four runs (all earned) on as many hits with three walks in a pair of relief innings.
USA is scheduled to visit Mississippi State on Wed., April 15 in an SECNetwork+ broadcast midweek contest. Links to live stats, ticket information, video streaming and play-by-play audio can be found by accessing the Jaguar softball schedule page. In-game Twitter updates are provided via the program's official handle, @USAJagsSoftball.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).