Stephen F. Austin
Texas-Arlington
SFA Splits With UTA
3/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 21, 2008
ARLINGTON, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack softball team saw its five-game Southland Conference winning streak come to an end Friday, but the Ladyjacks salvaged a split in their series-opening doubleheader at UT-Arlington. After dropping the opener, 2-0, SFA pounded out 11 hits for a 3-1 win in Game 2.
The Ladyjacks spotted UTA a pair of runs in the bottom of the second thanks to two Mavs hits and an error. SFA starter Monika Covington silenced UTA for the remainder of the game, allowing just three more hits, but the Ladyjacks could muster just four base knocks in the contest and stranded six runners.
Juniors Benet Higgs and Kari Hugie each hit safely in the game, as did sophomore Kendal Harper and senior Jessica Tullos. Higgs' hit was a double.
Covington (11-6) allowed one earned run on five hits and a pair of walks. The freshman strengthened her hold on the SLC strikeouts lead by recording eight more punchouts.
SFA's bats came alive in the second game, and the Ladyjacks finally made the hits pay off with some late run support from freshman Lauren Luetge in the 3-1 verdict.
The Ladyjack strung together four singles in the fourth inning but were only able to push one run across, taking a 1-0 lead. Junior Moriah Davis led off with a single, and Tullos and sophomore Briana Bishop each followed with base hits to load the bases. After a strikeout in the next at-bat, Hugie posted an RBI, driving in Davis with her second hit of the day. UTA retired the next two batters on strikes to strand three Ladyjacks.
The Mavericks tied the score on a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, but SFA found another four-hit inning in the top of the seventh, this time getting two runs across.
Sophomores Malina Meng and Michele Huffman led off with back-to-back singles. Meng was caught stealing, but Huffman moved to second behind the play. The next batter, Monica Hirsch singled, bringing Huffman in to score and giving SFA a 2-1 lead. Harper batted next and reached base on an error. Higgs then entered the lineup as a pinch-hitter and loaded the bases with a single. After a strikeout, Bishop drove in an insurance run the easy way, drawing a two-out walk to set the final score.
Luetge (7-3) retired the Mavs in order in the bottom half, getting two pop-outs and a game-ending strikeout to collect her seventh win of the season. She finished with one earned run on three hits and a pair of walks with seven strikeouts.
The Ladyjacks (21-13, 8-3 SLC) will wrap up their series with UTA (11-12, 8-6) Saturday in the rubber match of the three-game set. The contest is set to start at 1 p.m.
-- SFA --
