Stephen F. Austin
Sam Houston
Sam Sweeps Ladyjacks
2/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 24, 2009
HUNTSVILLE, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin softball team lost a four-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning in the nightcap of Tuesday's Southland Conference-opening doubleheader to suffer a two-game sweep against Sam Houston State.
The pair of losses move SFA to 3-11 on the season. The Ladyjacks will wrap up their series with a single game Wednesday at 4 p.m.
In Game 1, Sam Houston (8-7) got a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth and held on to take a 2-0 win.
SFA starter Monika Covington had not allowed a batter to reach base through the first four inning, but the Bearkats got a two-out single from Amy Brown in the fifth, followed by a home run to center off the bat of Mandy Gegen to give them all the offense they would need. Sam Houston tacked on another hit, but Covington got a ground-out to escape further damage.
The Bearkats would add two more hits to their total in the sixth.
SFA had a hit in each of the first five innings and left a runner on base in five of seven innings. The Ladyjacks saw their best opportunity to score go by the wayside in the top of the fourth. Freshman Kayla Gutowski led off with a single to right field. Pinch-runner Candise Juarez moved to third when the next batter, Briana Bishop, reached base and took second when her attempted sacrifice bunt was mis-handled.
Michele Huffman came on to run for Bishop, but was doubled off at second when Ashley Struchtemeyer flied out to center in the next at-bat. The inning ended on a pop-up, leaving Juarez stranded at third.
Gutowski was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. Struchtemeyer, Kim Daley and Amber Price each hit safely once.
Covington was charged with two earned runs on five hits in six innings of work. She didn't give up a walk and recorded six strikeouts.
In the second game, SFA took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh after picking up two runs on three hits in the top half.
SFA starter Lauren Luetge carried a two-hit shutout into the seventh inning and had allowed just one runner past first base, before the final inning. But the Bearkats loaded the bases with no outs via a walk, hit batsman and fielder's choice. The next batter, Erin Burford lifted a sac fly to center field, leaving runners at first and third with one out. Another run came home on a double by Hailey Wiginton that put two runners in scoring position.
That got Covington off the bench to relieve Luetge. She walked the first batter she faced, loading the bases. Sarah Parich singled in the next at-bat, bringing home two runs and tying the score at four. The next batter, Callie Wood, drove in the winning run with a single up the middle.
Covington (2-6) was collared with the loss after giving up one earned run on a pair of hits and a walk without recording an out. Luetge worked six-and-a-third and was charged with four earned runs on three hits and four walks. She recorded nine strikeouts.
SFA got on the board with a run each in the first and second innings. In the first, sophomore Monica Hirsch led off with a walk, then took third on a double by Kendal Harper. Hirsch was caught at home trying to score on a wild pitch, but Harper moved to third on the play and scored on a double to right-center by Gutowski.
In the second inning, Price connected on a two-out home run to right field, her second bomb of the season.
The Ladyjacks left the bases loaded in the fifth and wasted a one-out double by Bishop in the sixth, but SFA added two runs in the top of the seventh. Price led off with a single down the right-field line. Freshman Jessica Arana moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt, then Price took third on a sac by Hirsch. Price scored on an infield single by Harper. Harper swiped second then scored on a single by Gutowski to give SFA a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Harper and Gutowski both went 2-for-4, and Price was 2-for-3, leading an eight-hit effort for SFA. Bishop and Arana added one base knock apiece.
-- SFA --
