Stephen F. Austin
Texas State
SFA Splits with Bobcats
4/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 14, 2007
SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks scored in each of the first two innings then held off Texas State for a 3-1 win in the nightcap Saturday to split their series-opening doubleheader against the Bobcats. SFA dropped a tough 1-0 decision in 10 innings in the opener. The two-game split leaves the Ladyjacks at 17-24 on the season and 10-7 in Southland Conference play.
After going scoreless through 10 innings in Game 1, the Ladyjacks got on the board early in the second game. Center fielder Benet Higgs led off the game with an infield single, then stole second. She came around to score when Crystal Garcia reached base on a throwing error - one of nine Texas State errors on the day.
The Ladyjacks added to their lead in the next inning. Second baseman Heather Hebert led off with a base knock then moved to second on a wild pitch. A Jessica Tullos walk, followed by a single off the bat of pitcher Ashley Wilburn loaded the bases for shortstop Chelsea Carr. Carr lined a one-hopper to the back-hand side of the Texas State shortstop, whose only play was the force out at third after knocking the ball down. Hebert scored to make it a 2-0 game.
With Wilburn working efficiently in the circle, that's the way the score stayed for the next two innings. Higgs helped out with a nice diving catch in left-center that ended the bottom of the second inning. Wilburn got another assist from her defense, when left fielder Crystal Dahlquist tracked a fly ball deep toward the wall to strand a base runner in the sixth.
For the game, Wilburn (8-11) allowed one run on five hits and two walks with one strikeout. A pair of Ladyjack errors in the fourth gave the Bobcats their only run of the game.
SFA tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning. Wilburn reached on an error to lead things off, and pinch runner Michele Huffman stole second with two outs, two batters later. Higgs then grounded a ball to third base that was mishandled, allowing Wilburn to score from second and leaving Higgs on third after a poor throw to the plate.
In the first game, SFA could not solve Texas State starter Ragan Blake. Just two Ladyjacks, Higgs and Tullos recorded hits, as Blake twirled a 10-inning shutout. SFA's best chance to find the scoreboard came in the 10th inning, when the Ladyjacks began play with Chelsea Carr on second base, by virtue of the international tiebreaker rule. The first batter, pitcher Kari Hugie, reached on an error, and Carr moved to third. But right fielder Kendal Harper lined sharply to the shortstop, who doubled off Carr at third to end the threat.
The Bobcats loaded the bases with one out on a sac bunt and two intentional walks in their half of the 10th, and won it on a single by pinch hitter Lacey Duncan.
Hugie (8-10) took the loss in Game 1, despite not giving up an earned run. She allowed just two hits through nine-and-one-third innings and recorded three strikeouts.
The Ladyjacks will be back in action for the rubber game Sunday. The last game of the series is set for a noon start at Bobcat Field.
- SFA -
