Mavs continue historic start with Day 1 sweep
CHARLESTON, S.C. - In the first road trip of the season, UT Arlington softball opened the Wingate by Windham Invitational Friday with a two-game sweep at the CSU Softball Complex to move to 12-0 on the season.
"Those kind of battles, going back and forth with a team is exactly what I think of when it comes to conference," UT Arlington coach Kristie Fox said. "Everyone in that dugout found a way to help us win and that's what it takes to continue to be successful."
The Mavericks continued their dominate start to the season by beating Savannah State 10-2 in five innings before taking down host Charleston Southern 4-3 in a late-inning thriller. In the two games, UTA compiled a total of 18 hits, 14 runs and six walks. Krista Rude led the way going 4-for-6 with three RBI and three runs.
"Krista has been huge for us," Fox said. "We knew what she was capable of as a second leadoff for us, but she has surprised me with how clutch she is with runners on base."
The tournament continues on Saturday with another match-up with Savannah State at 8 a.m. CT, followed by Delaware State at 10 a.m. CT. The Mavs conclude the tournament Sunday with a game against Delaware State at 10 a.m. CT.
Game 1: UT Arlington 10, Savannah State 2 (5)
Final Stats
UTA opened its stay in the tournament with a five-inning run-rule of Savannah State, its sixth run-rule game of the year.
Rude led the way offensively, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI. Kacey Everett and Britnea Barilli each had two hits apiece with Everett tallying two runs and one RBI. In the circle, Sam Montes and Taylor Simmonds combined to strikeout five, giving up eight hits. Montes picked up the win to improve to 3-0.
The Mavs opened scoring a two RBI single by Shelbi Sikes to score Sandra Mendoza and Laura Curry in the first. After Savannah State tied the game up at two, UTA pushed back into the lead with Rude's two-RBI triple that scored Mallory Foster and Everett.
Simmonds relieved Montes in the fourth and worked out of a jam to strand a runner on third. After a quiet bottom of the fourth for UTA, a huge defensive play by Mendoza ended a threat by the Tigers in the top of the fifth inning.
UTA then capped the game off in the fifth with a five-run frame.
A leadoff single by Barilli got the ball rolling for UTA. Pinch-runner Kayci Moore came in for Barilli and promptly scored on Everett's double. After Curry plated a pair on a hit to center, she'd advance to third on a wild pitch and came home for the game winner on a passed ball.
Game 2: UT Arlington 4, Charleston Southern 3
Final Stats
UTA capped the day with Charleston Southern in a nail biter.
Similarly to the first game of the day, Rude led the Maverick offense going 2-for-3 with one RBI and a run. Samantha Clakley threw her fifth complete game in as many starts. Clakley recorded seven strikeouts and gave up three earned runs.
"She loves the ball," Fox said. "Sam wants to come through for this team. Whenever she is called upon, whether as a starter or a closer, she doesn't care. She wants to win and I like that about her."
The first hit of the ball game for either team came in the bottom of the third when Charleston Southern's Destini Ewing led off with a double. After a sacrifice bunt moved Ewing to third, Clakley recorded her fourth strikeout of the game and forced a fly out to Barilli to erase the threat.
The Mavs got their first hit of the game on an RBI single to score Curry off the bat of Barilli. Curry led the fourth off with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on an error before Barilli's RBI single.
The Bucs tied the game up in the bottom of the inning, but the Mavs quickly answered back in the top of the fifth. Rude got the frame started with a single before advancing first to third on a sac bunt by Stokes. Looking to extend her hit streak to 13 games, Mendoza wasted no time driving in Rude on an RBI single up the middle.
The Bucs tied the ball game up once again with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. In the seventh, Curry blooped a one-out double over the head of the third baseman before Burchianti blasted a two-run double off the wall to score Curry.
Charleston Southern threatened to score in the bottom half, but a fly out to Barilli in left ended the game. The Mavericks improved to 12-0 on the season.
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App State Sweeps First Day of Winthrop Tournament
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Appalachian State University softball was on the right side of the scoreboard for the first time this season as it swept day one of the Winthrop/Adidas Tournament with wins over Canisius (8-2) and Rider (8-0/5 Inn.).
"Today was a great first step for us this season," said head coach Janice Savage. "We've been talking about how things are going to come together for us and I knew it was just a matter of time. Our kids have worked hard and stayed positive, so I'm glad they are starting to see the rewards of that dedication. It was also good to see our pitchers bounce back today and pitch effectively."
The Mountaineers improved their overall record to 2-10 by scoring 16 runs on 15 hits, while the Golden Griffins fell to 1-8 and the Broncos dropped to 0-2 on their opening day. Tiffany Taynor and Heather Josey each had themselves three-hit days as Taynor scored three runs in two games and Josey tallied two runs scored and two RBI, both in game two.
Game One: App State 8, Canisius 2
In the first contest against Canisius, App State scored one run in the bottom of both the first and second frames. Jenny Dodd singled in Megan Walker in the first and in the second, while Maddy Bloom brought in Katie Mathewson with a groundout to the pitcher.
After the Golden Griffins tied things up at 2-2 with a run in the third and another in the fourth, the Black and Gold took over with a two spot in the fifth and four more runs in the sixth.
In the fifth, Taynor singled up the middle to lead things off, moved to second on a groundout and then to third with a Cara Parker base knock to center. With Mathewson in the box, Taynor scored on a wild pitch that moved Parker to third as well. One out later, Pepper Butler reached on a throwing error by the third baseman and Parker crossed the plate to make it 4-2.
The following inning, the Apps did all their damage with two outs. Taynor was hit by a pitch, Dodd walked and Parker singled to the pitcher before Haley Stewart made a pinch-hit appearance. Stewart came through with a grand slam to left center and the Mountaineers took a commanding 8-2 advantage.
That blast was the Mountaineers' first grand slam since Parker's on Feb. 6 of last season against UAB and it was the first pinch-hit grand slam for App State since Caroline Williams' on April 28, 2012 at Samford.
In the circle, Vanessa Ciocatto (1-4) went the distance with Appalachian State's first complete game of the season. The junior finished with two earned runs and allowed only eight hits, one walk and four strikeouts.
Game Two: App State 8, Rider 0 (5 Inn.)
App State carried the momentum into the second game of the day, as game two belonged to the Mounatineers from the get-go. Appalachian tallied two in the first, five in the third and one more in the top of the fifth to get a decisive win by the run rule.
In the first, the two runs came in when Josey doubled home Natalie Orcutt and Dodd pushed across Josey with a sacrifice fly to center. Appalachian was just getting started, though, and put up a five spot in the third.
Parker scored Dodd on a fielder's choice, two runs scored on bases-loaded hit-by-pitches and two more came in on walks with the bases loaded.
Katherine Johnson got the start and went one inning before Annaleise Kennedy (1-1) came on in relief to earn her first career win. Kennedy went the final four innings with no runs given up on just one hit and one punchout.
App State will play another doubleheader tomorrow against Brown (1 p.m.) and Wagner (3 p.m.).
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Texas State Splits To Open Grand Canyon Invitational
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Texas State softball team picked up a split Friday afternoon at the Grand Canyon Invitational in Phoenix, Ariz. The Bobcats fell in game one of the day to Northern Illinois by a score of 7-3 before bouncing back and earning an 8-0 shutout over Montana in game two.
Texas State moves to 10-3 on the year after the split and junior pitcher Paige Williams improves to 3-0 overall after earning the victory against Montana in five innings pitched.
Game One – Northern Illinois
A home run in the bottom of the second inning by Kimberlin Naivar gave Texas State a 1-0 lead over Northern Illinois to begin the Grand Canyon Invitational. Naivar's home run was her second this season and it was the first hit of the day for Texas State.
After a scoreless third, Texas State put together a hit by pitch, a sacrifice bunt, and a single to center to put runners on the corners with two outs. The 'Cats were unable to capitalize with runners on base and went to the bottom half of the fourth leading 1-0.
Northern Illinois answered, however, with a solo shot of its own in the bottom of the fourth inning. It was then in the fifth that gates opened for the Huskies as they hit another home run, a three-run shot, to go up 4-1 over the Bobcats.
Texas State strung together three straight singles to start the top of the sixth to cut the Northern Illinois lead back down to one, 4-3. A ground out for the first out of the inning halted the 'Cats rally as the final three batters of the inning were retired with no additional runs scored.
Three more runs in the bottom half of the sixth by Northern Illinois made it a 7-3 ball game. The Bobcats went three up, three down in the top of the seventh to drop just their third game of the 2016 season.
Randi Rupp was handed the loss after pitching in 4.1 innings while allowing two earned runs. She struck out six for Texas State. Naivar finished the game going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Taylor Webb registered the other two RBIs for Texas State as she went 1-for-2 in the game.
Game Two – Montana
With Quincy Charleston standing on first after a walk, junior Corrina Liscano hit her team-leading third home run of the season to take an early 2-0 lead over Montana.
The Bobcats were held scoreless in the second and third innings before scoring six in the final two innings of the game.
With one out in the fourth, Naivar reached first on an error by the Montana pitcher. A single to center by Kendall Wiley moved Naivar over to second and the two promptly moved to second and third on a pair of stolen bases. A walk to Jaelyn Young loaded the bases with one out. A fielder's choice play on the next at bat got the second out of the inning at home, but a single by Kelli Baker scored two to put Texas State up 4-0 on the next at bat.
A pair of wild pitches later in the fourth scored the third run of the inning to give Texas State a 5-0 advantage.
A double to centerfield in the top of the fifth inning by Wiley with the bases loaded added two more to the Texas State lead. The Bobcats ultimately scored one more in the latter part of the inning with a bases loaded walk by Baker.
Williams allowed just five hits in the game and just one base runner got beyond second for Montana. She finished the day with three strikeouts while allowing just one walk. Liscano and Wiley finished the game with a pair of hits each and Baker led the team with three RBIs.
Liscano finished day one of the Grand Canyon Invitational going 3-for-5 with a home run, a pair of RBIs and one hit by pitch. Webb, Naivar, and Wiley were the other three Bobcats with at least two hits for Texas State.
Final Details
The Bobcats will continue play at the Grand Canyon Invitational Saturday with a pair of games against Montana and Grand Canyon. First pitch against Montana is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. CT.
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Trahan Tosses No-Hitter in Ragin' Cajuns Invite Opener
LAFAYETTE – Kylee Jo Trahan tied her career high with 10 strikeouts and tossed a no-hitter as the No. 6-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team defeated Rutgers 12-0 (5 inn.) in the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational opener on Friday at Lamson Park.
Kelsey Vincent posted her third three-hit game of the season, which included her fifth home run, and reached four RBI for the second time to lead the charge offensively for Louisiana (11-1).
Lexie Elkins finished 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBI and collected her 10th home run of the season. The home run was Elkins' 66th of her career, tying her with Gabriele Bridges for fourth place in program history.
Trahan's strikeout tally was the highest by a Cajuns pitcher this season, besting the nine strikeouts posted by Alex Stewart in both games of Thursday's doubleheader with Texas Tech. She collected seven of the strikeouts through the first three innings, striking out the side in both the first and third inning.
In collecting her first career no-hitter, Trahan faced the minimum in three of the five innings worked. She wound up facing just two batters over the minimum as the Scarlet Knights (1-9) drew one walk in both the second and fourth inning.
No. 6 Louisiana continues play in the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational at Lamson Park on Saturday facing Rutgers at 1:30 p.m. and Alcorn State at 4 p.m.
After Trahan breezed through the first inning striking out the side, her teammates began building the lead in the bottom half starting with Elkins' home run in the third at bat of the frame. Vincent followed with a solo home run down the left field line to give the Ragin' Cajuns a 3-0 lead.
Kara Gremillion later singled with the bases loaded, which coupled with a fielding error in center field cleared the bases extending the lead to 6-0.
Vincent's second run-producing plate appearance of the game was a RBI single through the right side in the second inning that brought home the first of three runs the Cajuns scored that frame. Elkins and pinch runner Katie Smith later scored on a passed ball to stretch the lead to 9-0.
Vincent posted her final two RBI of the game in the third inning, making the Scarlet Knights pay for intentionally walking Elkins. Pinch runner Meagan Thomas stole second base to join Haley Hayden (leadoff double) in scoring position and Vincent dumped a single into center field to score them both to increase the lead to 11-0.
The Cajuns' final run of the game came on a pinch-hit RBI single by Gabby Felps in the fourth inning.
Louisiana and Rutgers met at Lamson Park for the first time since meeting in the Louisiana Classics in February 2012. The Ragin' Cajuns improved to 4-0 all-time against the Scarlet Knights.
The Ragin' Cajuns improved to 6-1 on their current 10-game homestand which began last Friday with the 30th Louisiana Classics and concludes with this weekend's Ragin' Cajuns Invitational.
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Eagles Split With Iowa in South Carolina
CONWAY, S.C. – The Georgia Southern softball team battled back to split a pair of games with the University of Iowa Friday to open play at the Coastal Carolina Invitational at CCU Softball Field. The Eagles dropped the first game 11-0 in five innings and then rallied from a four-run deficit to win 7-4 in the second game.
GAME 1 – IOWA 11, GS 0 (5)
Iowa jumped out to a lead in the first inning after drawing three walks and picking up two hard-hit balls. The Hawkeyes tacked on a single run in the second, third and fourth innings to make it a 6-0 game and then scored five runs in the fifth to end the game early due to the run-ahead rule.
The Eagles weren't able to get much going offensively as Hannah Farrell, Lydia Witkowski, Taylor Rogers and Alesha Mann picked up the only hits.
Dixie Raley got the start, but was relieved in the first inning before coming back into the game in the fifth inning. She went a combined 2/3 of an inning, allowing three runs on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Kiera Camp went four-plus innings for the Eagles while Heather Felt pitched 1/3 of an inning.
GAME 2 – GS 7, IOWA 4
The second game started the same way as Iowa got three runs in the first inning and another in the second. But GS didn't give up and battled back.
The Eagles finally got on the board in the third inning when India Davis reached on an error and made it to third base on Witkowski's single. On the next pitch, Witkowski slowly trotted to second base and drew a throw, allowing Davis to sneak home with the stolen base.
In the fourth inning, Rowan McGuire reached on a fielder's choice when India Davis beat the force at second base, which allowed Farrell to score. The Eagles cut the deficit to one when Rogers scored on a double play in the fifth inning. One batter later, A.J. Hamilton hit a solo home run – her third of the season – to tie the game up.
In the sixth inning, the Eagles took their first lead of the day. Michelle Mazur led off with a walk and reached second base on an error and scored on a wild pitch. Davis drove in Mann with a sharp single to left field and Davis eventually scored on the fifth Iowa error of the game.
Witkowski led the way with a pair of hits while Emily Snider, Rogers, Hamilton, Davis and Mann each had one.
After a tough opening game, Raley responded with a sterling effort in the second game. She went the distance, allowing four runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts against two walks.
The Eagles will be back in action on Saturday, taking on host Coastal Carolina at 1:30 p.m. before playing Iowa again at 3 p.m.
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Troy Softball Starts Off Trojan Warrior Tournament With a Win
TROY, Alabama – The Troy softball team scored seven runs on their way to a 7-3 win over Dayton in their first game of the Trojan Warrior Tournament on Friday at the Troy Softball Complex.
Senior Khadija Neely recorded two hits on the night. Kate Benton, Hannah Day, Ashley Rainey and Erica Davis all recorded one.
Troy (8-4) started out sluggishly in the first two innings but came alive in the bottom of the third scoring five runs. Rainey came up swinging with an RBI double to score Benton who had reached with a single to shortstop. Neely singled up the middle two batters later bringing Rainey around to score making the score 5-1.
The Trojans would plate two more runs; one in the fourth on a Day double scoring Becca Hartley and another in the fifth as Allison Moore took the free base on an illegal pitch.
Freshman Claire Graves (3-0) got her third win of the season while fellow freshman Peyton Glover got her first save. Graves pitched 5.2 innings, facing 27 batters and allowing three runs. Glover pitched 1.1 innings and got the Trojans out of a sticky bases loaded situation giving up only one hit.
Dayton (4-3) struck first in the top of the first inning when Katie Ryan hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield scoring Gabrielle Snyder who reached on a single to left field. The Flyers second run came in the top of the fifth when Kathy Hess doubled to left field scoring Kirsten Bartlett. The final run came in the top of the sixth while the bases were loaded. Kayla Haberstich was hit by a pitch which resulted in the final run being plated.
Troy plays a doubleheader Saturday facing Dayton at 12:00 p.m. and Missouri State at 2:30 p.m.
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Waterman Throws First Complete Game in 14-2 Rout over Arkansas-Pine Bluff
CONWAY, Ark. – Freshman Casey Waterman threw her first complete game and earned her second win of the season as the ULM softball squad defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 14-2 at the UCA Invitational inside Farris Field.
Waterman allowed just two hits during her shortened five-inning outing due to the eight-run rule.
The Warhawks (9-3) scored early and often on the Lady Lions (4-7), scratching three runs in the top of the first inning. Senior Faith Bohack hit an RBI double to score junior Rochelle Roberts, and junior McKinley Marks plated Bohack and freshman Sydney McKay on a single to right center.
ULM’s offense then exploded for six runs in the top of the second. Sophomore Cheyanne Lyon scored on a passed ball which walked Roberts, and Bohack smacked her second double of the day to right center, driving in Roberts and sophomore catcher Sam Agamaite.
Bohack later scored on a UAPB error and McKay reached home on a Vanessa Garcia single. Marks, who was walked earlier in the inning, advanced for a run after Lyon was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. ULM held a 9-0 advantage after the first two innings.
Marks notched three more RBIs in the top of the third when she pulled her third home run of the season over the right field fence, giving the Warhawks a 12-0 advantage.
Freshman Megan Shaw got in on the action in the top of the fourth when she drove in two runs on a two-out double to center field to widen the gap to 14-0.
The Lady Lions scored two unearned runs on Waterman on two hits and two errors in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Roberts extended her hitting streak to eight games on a bunt single in the top of the first. Marks tied a ULM season high with five RBIs on two hits. Bohack and McKay each scored three runs.
The Warhawks return to action tomorrow as they face Middle Tennessee State at 9 a.m. and then Belmont on a 1:30 p.m. first pitch with both games at Farris Field.
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JAG SOFTBALL SHUTS OUT BOWLING GREEN BEHIND VICKNAIR’S NINE STRIKEOUTS
MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama softball junior right-hander Destin Vicknair racked up a season-high nine strikeouts to lead the Jaguars to a 5-0 victory over Bowling Green on the first day of the 2016 South Alabama Invitational on Friday.
The Reserve, La., native carried a no-hitter into the four inning and allowed only a pair of Falcon hits and one walk in the complete-game victory, improving her record to 4-0.
Alex Breeden was 1-for-1 with two RBI on Friday, while Stephanie Pilkington scored a pair of runs. Savanna Mayo supplied a solo home run – her second of the season – in the second inning. Kaleigh Todd scored a run, and Haleigh Lane delivered one RBI.
Emily Messer was held to zero hits on Friday, but the Mobile, Ala., native drew a walk and later scored to keep her 11-game reach streak alive.
South Alabama (7-4) entered the contest having lost four of its last five games, but the Jaguars wasted no time in taking a lead and keeping the Falcons in check en route to a fourth shutout win.
RBI singles from Pilkington and Lane in the opening frame put the Jaguars ahead, 2-0, and Mayo's solo blast an inning later gave South Alabama a 3-0 lead. Breeden sent a two-run double to right center in the bottom of the third inning for the five-run margin, scoring Pilkington and Todd on the play.
Bowling Green (4-6) starter Braiden Dillow suffered her first loss of the year after giving up three runs (all earned) on three hits with a strikeout and a walk. Reliever Brooke Parker gave up a pair of unearned runs on two hits in 4 2/3 innings.
USA is scheduled for face Dartmouth and Wichita State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m., respectively.