Stephen F. Austin
Florida State
Florida State Tops SFA
2/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 7, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas - A few hours after taking Florida State to extra innings in their first meeting at the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational, Stephen F. Austin gave up six runs to the Seminoles in the first inning of a 10-5 defeat Saturday in the tournament's semifinals.
The loss moves SFA to 0-4 and puts the Ladyjacks into the 9 a.m. game Sunday against Iowa.
Florida State used four base hits and an SFA error to put up the six spot in the first frame. The Seminoles picked up three runs off a lead-off triple, an RBI single and a two-run homer before a Ladyjack error extended the inning and led to three unearned runs.
SFA starter Monika Covington (0-2) was lifted after the first batter in the bottom of the second homered to right-center, making it a 7-0 game. Senior Kari Hugie came on in relief.
The Ladyjacks got on the board in the third inning when Karissa Jones led off with a double, then Jessica Arana and Amber Price put together back-to-back singles to bring home pinch-runner Candise Juarez.
Hugie held the Seminoles scoreless in the third and fourth innings, and SFA cut the lead to 7-4 with three runs in the top of the fifth. Benet Higgs led off with a single up the middle then moved to second on a base knock down the left-field line by Kendal Harper. Arana then moved both runners up a station with a sacrifice bunt. Two at-bats later, Briana Bishop roped a two-out double down the left-field line scoring Higgs and Harper. The next batter, Kayla Gutowski reached on a throwing error that allowed pinch-runner Michelle Huffman to score from second.
But Florida State answered with three runs on three hits in the bottom half to keep SFA at arm's length.
The Ladyjacks would add a run in the sixth, when Kim Daley led off with a double and eventually scored on a ground-out by Harper.
SFA finished with nine hits, and Daley and Higgs each went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Hugie worked 3.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits and three walks. Lauren Luetge pitched the final 1.1 innings for SFA and was touched for one hit and a walk, while striking out three.
-- SFA --
