UTA Caps Weekend with Best Start Since 1993
ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington completed its best start since 1993 after defeating Detroit 11-5 on Sunday at Allan Saxe Field.
The Mavericks wrapped up play in the UTA Invitational with a perfect 6-0 record, scoring 46 runs and knocking 58 base hits during the course of the weekend. Four UTA hitters knocked three hits in the finale as UTA produced a weekend-high 17 hits.
"Overall they did a good job," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "We had some really good bright spots and learned a lot. Winning six games in four games is tough to do. They fought through some adversity so I am very proud of them."
It was a pair of freshmen that led the way for UTA at the dish. Krista Rude and Brianna Burchianti each had eight hits in the Invitational. Burchianti had a team-high six RBI and six runs, while Rude scored four times and had an RBI.
In the circle, Samantha Clakley and Brooklynne Simbeck picked up two wins in as many starts. Clakley pitched 14.2 innings, striking out seven and giving up just one earned run. Simbeck pitched 8.0 with five hits and an earned run.
"I learned what certain people were capable of," Fox said. "We learned a lot a lot about our pitching staff, which was all positive and how we are going to use them. That is what this weekend is about in learning how people are going to perform in games against other people. Overall we learned a lot. Our defense is strong even though in one inning this game we didn't have it together. Even though we had one bad inning we found a way to win."
After striking first with two runs in the opening frame, Shelbi Sikes lifted UTA with a big hit in the third. Sikes cleared the bases with a three-run homer, UTA's lone home run of the weekend. UTA added two more in the inning to build a seven-run lead.
Detroit battled back to close the gap to just two with five runs in the fourth. However, UTA would plate a pair in each of the final two innings to push the game out of reach.
For Clakley, the weekend was a chance for the newcomers to match themselves up against the competition they'd see while at UTA. Clakley is taking what she learned this weekend to keep getting better each week.
"We are going to start facing harder and harder teams," Clakley said. "I just need to continue to grow and get better as a pitcher and take each pitch and each at-bat and learn from it each time.
UTA continues action at Allan Saxe Field when it hosts the Maverick Invitational beginning on Feb. 19. UTA opens the tournament against Princeton at 3:30 p.m., followed by a clash with South Dakota State in the nightcap at 6 p.m.
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Elkins Powers Cajuns to Win Over Techsters For 5-0 Start
GULF SHORES, Ala. – Lexie Elkins tied a school record with three home runs - the second time she's accomplished the feat in her career - and tallied four RBI to power the 11th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team to an 8-2 win over Louisiana Tech in the final game of the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores.
Alex Stewart scattered eight hits and allowed only one earned run over seven innings as she improved to 3-0 on the season.
With the win, the Ragin' Cajuns finished the Sand Dollar Classic at the Gulf Shores SportsPlex with a 5-0 record and extended their win streak over the Lady Techsters to 26 games (dates back to April 1999).
No. 11 Louisiana returns to action next weekend for its Lamson Park season debut, hosting the 30th Annual Louisiana Classics tournament Friday-Sunday, Feb. 19-21. The Ragin' Cajuns start the event with a 2 p.m., doubleheader against No. 6 Oregon on Friday, Feb. 19.
Sunday's performance increased Elkins' weekend numbers to five home runs and 14 RBI. She finished 10-for-15 at the plate (.667) and recorded three multi-hit games and four multi-RBI games.
Stewart's outing allowed the Ragin' Cajuns pitching staff to end the weekend with only four earned runs allowed over 27 innings pitched (0.97 ERA). The Zionsville, Ind., native added five strikeouts, upping her weekend total to 16 strikeouts over 14 innings pitched.
Elkins opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning off of La. Tech starter Bailey Allen and increased the Cajuns' lead to 3-0 with her second homer of the game off of Allen in the third inning.
La. Tech (3-2) scratched an unearned run in the bottom half of the third after a bunt single followed by a throwing error that moved the runner to third base and a subsequent squeeze bunt.
Louisiana broke open a 4-1 contest in the fifth inning with three runs capped off by Aleah Craighton's two-run double that hopped over the third base bag in fair territory.
The lone earned run off of Stewart came in Tech's half of the fifth inning after an infield single by Berkley Callap and double from Kassie Harris to start the inning set the stage for a run-scoring single through the left side by Anna Cross.
The Lady Techsters attempt to cut into a 7-2 deficit was foiled after an unsuccessful double steal was shut down by Elkins and Haley Hayden. Both runners were tagged out attempting to swipe the bags and the Ragin' Cajuns preserved a five-run edge.
Elkins' third home run of the day came in the seventh inning off of La. Tech reliever Preslee Gallaway and provided the final tally of the contest.
Stewart struck out Karlee Jensen looking with runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh to close out the victory.
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Ranked Notre Dame Holds Off GSU Rally
TEMPE, Ariz. – Georgia State loaded the bases twice in the bottom of the seventh before No. 24/RV Notre Dame shut the door on the rallying Panthers, winning the game 10-4 in GSU’s final competition of the Kajikawa Classic at Farrington Stadium.
Senior Taylor Anderson hit a two-RBI double in the seventh with bases loaded to make things interesting as the Panthers played their fifth game in three days. Georgia State had the bases loaded again with two outs, but couldn’t keep the comeback going and stranded three runners.
After committing seven errors in two games on Saturday, GSU’s defense had trouble once again with four more on Sunday. Pitching in her home state, Annie Davis got the start and went 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs. Notre Dame’s offense came alive in the top of the sixth as the Irish broke away with four runs in the frame.
With the loss, Georgia State falls to 0-5 on the year after facing three top-25 opponents in the opening weekend. The Panthers return home for six games including the Panther Invitiational next weekend. Georgia State’s home opener is Wednesday at 5 p.m. against crosstown rival Georgia Tech.
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App State Sent Home with 22-5 Loss to Auburn
AUBURN, Ala. - The No. 4 team in the nation's offense was too much to handle for a young Appalachian State University softball team on Sunday afternoon as Auburn scored 22 runs on 17 hits en route to a 22-5 win over the Mountaineers.
The Apps closed out play in the Plainsman Invite with a mark of 0-5 while the Tigers improved to 5-0 and outscored their opponents 87-10 in the opening weekend. However, the Black and Gold's five runs matched the total number of runs Auburn had allowed in its first four games.
The Tigers were the visiting team on the scoreboard for Sunday's affair and after they put up nine runs in the top of the first, App State answered with two of its own in the bottom half.
Jenny Dodd continued her hot start to the season with a two-run double that scored both Cara Parker and Natalie Orcutt. Dodd was one of three Mountaineers to collect four hits in the first five games including Parker and Orcutt.
Appalachian State scored two more in the bottom of the second thanks to another two-run double, this time from Tiffany Taynor, that brought in Megan Walker and Ally Walters. Auburn then scored eight in the third, three in the fourth and two in the fifth to win with the run rule.
In the circle, freshman Annaleise Kennedy made her first career appearance and was a bright spot for Appalachian. Kennedy went two innings and gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits with one walk.
Next up, the Mountaineers will travel to Coastal Carolina's Kickin' Chicken Classic in Conway, S.C. on Feb. 19-21 for five games in three days.
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Texas State Sweeps Final Day of CenturyLink Classic
SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Texas State softball team capped off the CenturyLink Classic Sunday afternoon with a sweep. The Bobcats shutout Oklahoma State 4-0 and came from behind to defeat Abilene Christian 4-3 in eight innings.
With the two victories, Texas State improves to 5-1 on the season. The Cowgirls finished the tournament 2-3 and the Wildcats went 0-5.
Game 1 - Oklahoma State
OSU's Brandi Needham retired the first two Bobcats of the game easily but then ran into trouble. Ariel Ortiz laced a single through the left side. Corrina Liscano was then hit by a pitch and Kendall Wiley drew a walk on four pitches to load the bases. A 2-1 offering was sent back up middle off the bat of Taylor Webb that plated two runs and give Texas State an early lead.
In the bottom of the second, Bianco Prado singled to right to load the bases with one out. The Cowgirls then brought in Kacy Freeze in relief. With a 3-0 count on Ortiz, Freeze was called for an illegal pitch, giving Ortiz a free pass and bring in a run. Three pitches later Freeze was again called with throwing an illegal pitch that increased the Bobcats' advantage to 4-0.
The biggest threat that OSU was able to must was in the sixth with a two-out double that put two runners in scoring position. Randi Rupp struck out the next batter to escape the jam and preserve the shut out.
Rupp went six innings, striking out nine and allowing just three hits to earn the victory. Quincy Charleston pitched the final frame without allowing a hit. At the dish, Kayleigh Norte, Liscano, Ortiz, Prado and Webb all recorded a hit in the game.
Game 2 - Abilene Christian
Texas State jumped out to a 2-0 lead again in the first when ACU's Allison Turner was called for an illegal pitch that allowed Kelli Baker to score. Wiley grounded out to second two batters later that scored the second run of the inning.
The Wildcats knotted the game in the next frame when a throwing error allowed two runners to cross the plate. A RBI single back up the middle in the third put the visitors in front 3-2.
Liscano led off the bottom of the seventh by crushing the first pitch she saw over the left center field fence to knot the score and send the game to extras.
With the international tiebreaking rule in effect, Rupp got into some trouble when a fielding error allowed the Wildcats to put two in scoring position with only one out. She escaped when she induced a grounder to Baker, who nailed the runner at the plate, and then got a swinging strikeout to end the frame.
Leading off, Norte laid down a bunt to try and advance the runner to third. Instead of taking the easy out at first, the pitcher instead threw to third but could not beat the speedy Kimberlin Naivar to put runners on the corners. Baker followed with a soft dribbler back to the circle for an infield single and loaded the bases.
Ortiz then sent a 1-0 offering to right center for a walk-off single two batters later to give the Bobcats their third comeback win of the weekend.
Rupp picked up the win after throwing two innings of relief to improve to 4-1 on the season. Getting the start was Paige Williams. She tossed six frames with five strikeouts and surrendered three runs on six hits.
Liscano finished the game 3-for-4 and posting her first collegiate home run. Also recording a multi-hit game was Baker with a 2-for-4 performance.
Next for Texas State is the Louisiana Tech Spring Tournament in Ruston, Louisiana taking place Feb. 19-21. The Bobcats will open with Houston Baptist at 9:15 a.m. on Friday.
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NO. 25 South Alabama Caps Perfect Weekend with 5-2 Win on Sunday
GULF SHORES, Ala. – No. 25 University of South Alabama softball defeated Southeast Missouri State, 5-2, on Sunday to improve its record in the opening week of the 2016 campaign to a perfect 5-0.
USA won all four of its games at the 2016 Sand Dollar Classic, hosted by The Fieldhouse, at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex. The Jaguars defeated Lipscomb, 7-3, on Friday, before recording back-to-back, mercy-rule shutouts versus Ball State and Central Arkansas on Saturday.
The Jaguars scored four unanswered runs to surmount the Redhwaks on Sunday after twice trailing. SEMO (1-4) struck first in the top half of the opening frame on Savannah Carpenter's solo homer, the first and only USA has given up all year.
South Alabama tied the game in the bottom half of the first on Kristian Foster's two-out, RBI single to left field, which plated Emily Messer, who led off with an infield single.
SEMO went ahead, 2-1, in the top of the second on a Jaguar fielding error, after Haleigh Lane bobbled Nicole Deering's bloop hit to right center, and Sarah Messex scored on the play.
Again, it was Foster who canceled out the Jaguar deficit, this time when she singled to bring home Stephanie Pilkington to level the game at 2-2 in the third inning.
Megan Harris led off the bottom of the fourth inning with an infield single, and then scored on a Redhawk throwing error to give USA a 3-2 lead. Haleigh Lowe then supplied an infield groundout that allowed Messer to score her second run of the game to give USA a two-run advantage.
Messer ripped a two-out single to center field in the bottom of the fifth inning to plate Paige Holmes, who got on with a base hit of her own, to push the score to 5-2.
Abby Tincher earned her first start as a Jaguar, going three innings and giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Devin Brown pitched four innings of relief and picked up the win to improve to 3-0 after striking out eight and allowing no runs or hits in four frames.
Haley Thogmartin took the loss for the Redhawks after allowing three runs (all earned) on seven Jaguar hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts in three innings. Mackenzie Hoelting threw three innings of relief, giving up two runs (both earned) on four hits with a walk and strikeout.
Messer finished the day 4-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Foster was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, and Holmes recorded a pair of hits and a run scored. Pilkington was 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. Harris was 1-for-2 with a run.
On the 5-0 start to the season, head coach Becky Clark said, "It is not a lucky 5-0; they earned their wins. We worked incredibly hard, mentally and physically, this weekend. If I had to grade them from Thursday to today, I'd give them an 'A' for sure.
"We learned some things today that we need to get better at, but these ladies have been working at a very high level and haven't made many mistakes," Clark added.
South Alabama returns to action next weekend when it hosts the 2016 Mardi Gras Invitational on Feb. 19-21. USA will host Southeastern Conference rival Mississippi State at 5 p.m. on Friday to kick off its schedule at the event.
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Coyne’s Complete Game Lifts Warhawks to 3-1 Victory over Seton Hall
MONROE, La. – Junior Melanie Coyne threw all seven innings in ULM’s 3-1 win over Seton Hall Sunday in the Mardi Gras Classic finale at ULM Softball Complex.
Coyne allowed a run in the top of the second on a couple of hits before settling in to blank SHU (4-1) for the remainder of the game. Coyne only allowed two hits in the final five innings.
The Pirates took an early 1-0 lead in the second after Alex Rabbetts hit a double to center field and Lauren Fischer drove her in on a single up the middle.
ULM (4-2) responded in the bottom of the fourth when freshman Sydney McKay walked and senior Faith Bohack singled through the left side to put runners on first and second. Junior Vanessa Garcia then walked to load the bases with no outs.
Senior Amye Barre grounded out to shortstop Ragen Reddick which brought home McKay. With junior McKinley Marks at the dish, Bohack and Garcia advanced on a passed ball, giving the Warhawks the first lead of the game at 2-1. After Marks and sophomore Cheyanne Lyon walked, junior Sidney Coy plated Garcia on a sacrifice fly to left field in foul territory.
Coyne did not allow another hit from that point up until the seventh inning. SHU’s Chris Head started the inning with a single but was thrown out trying to advance to second base by left fielder Rochelle Roberts. Coyne retired two of the next three batters to seal the game.
The Warhawks return to action next weekend in the Tiger Classic hosted by Tennessee State University. The Warhawks open the tournament Friday against Northern Kentucky on a 9 a.m. first pitch.