Stephen F. Austin
Texas Wesleyan
Ladyjacks Split On Final Day At Mizuno Classic
3/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 9, 2008
STILLWATER, Okla. - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack softball team completed a three-game sweep of round-robin play in the Oklahoma State Mizuno Classic Sunday by knocking off Texas Wesleyan, 13-2. But the Ladyjacks dropped Sunday afternoon's game against Oklahoma State in seeded portion of the tournament, losing by a count of 5-1.
The split moves SFA's record to 15-11 overall.
The Ladyjacks were very efficient at the plate in their run-rule-shortened win over Texas Wesleyan. SFA had only nine hits in the 13-run effort, but five of the nine went for extra bases, including three home runs. Each homer scored at least two runs, and the support was more than enough for SFA pitcher Debra Boles.
The Ladyjacks opened with a three-run first. The first two batters, Benet Higgs and Kendal Harper, drew walks, then both scored on a Moriah Davis home run to right-center. Texas Wesleyan answered in the top of the second with two runs on three hits, but the Ladyjacks put the game away with a 10-run third inning.
After Ashley Struchtemeyer singled up the middle with one out, Kari Hugie drew a walk to put two runners on for Kim Daley. Daley got a pitch she liked and blasted it over the left-field wall for SFA's second three-run job of the day.
The next batter, Malina Meng, walked, then Monica Hirsch beat out an infield single and stole second behind Candise Juarez, who came in to run for Meng. Juarez scored when Michele Huffman ripped a double down the left-field line. A pitching change did no good for Texas Wesleyan. The next batter, Harper, reached on a bunt single that scored Hirsch and moved Huffman to third. Harper then swiped second and both players crossed the plate on a triple to right-center by Davis, who would later score on an illegal pitch to give SFA an 11-3 edge.
Briana Bishop drew a walk, then Hugie set the final score two at-bats later with a two-run homer to right-center. In all, the Ladyjacks pounded out seven hits in the inning.
Boles (1-0) held Texas Wesleyan without a hit in the final two innings to collect the win. She sprinkled five hits over five innings with five strikeouts in the complete-game victory.
In Game 2, the Ladyjacks found the going a little rougher. A day after holding Oklahoma State scoreless on seven hits in a 1-0 win, the Cowgirls plated five runs on 14 base knocks, including a pair of home runs.
The homers -- both solo shots -- came in back-to-back fashion to open the fourth and were followed by two more hits in the inning to give Oklahoma State a 3-0 lead. The Cowgirls put up two more runs on four more hits in the fifth to give themselves some insurance, and SFA could muster just one run in the bottom of the sixth.
That inning got going with a one-out double by Harper. She then stole third and scored on a two-out single by Bishop. Struchtemeyer and Hugie each singled in the next two at-bats to load the bases with two out, but the threat ended on an infield pop-up.
Hugie (1-4) started in the circle for SFA and went four innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk to take the loss. She struck out one. Lauren Luetge worked three innings in relief, giving up seven more hits and two runs with three strikeouts.
The Ladyjacks will return to action Wednesday, when they open a three-game Southland Conference series at McNeese State. The series will begin with a doubleheader Wednesday, starting at 4 p.m., with Game 3 on Thursday set for a 2 p.m. start.
-- SFA --
