Stephen F. Austin
UTSA
SFA Splits With Roadrunners
5/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 2, 2009
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack softball team assured itself of a berth in next week's Southland Conference Tournament by splitting the series-opening doubleheader of its regular-season finale against UTSA on Saturday. After Kristin Kappler powered the Roadrunners to a 4-1 win in the opener with a two-run homer, the Ladyjacks turned three extra-base hits into four runs to take a 4-1 verdict in Game 2.
The split leaves SFA in fourth place in the SLC standings, and the Ladyjacks can finish no worse than fifth, pending the outcome of Sunday's games. SFA is now 28-25 on the season with a 17-12 record in league action. UTSA moves to 27-27 overall with an 18-11 mark against SLC foes.
SFA got out to a solid start in the opener. The Ladyjacks loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first, on two walks and a hit batsman. Karissa Jones came through with a single to right field, scoring Kendal Harper. But the next two batters flied out to leave the bases full.
The Roadrunners used three hits and a pair of errors in the top of the third to take a 2-1 lead. UTSA padded its lead in the sixth on Kappler's home run. SFA starter Monika Covington retired the first two batters she faced before walking Krista Sitka to bring Kappler to the plate.
The Ladyjacks got the leadoff batter on base in every inning except the seventh, but stranded 12 runners in the game. Crystal Garcia, Briana Bishop, Daley and Benet Higgs each recorded a base hit to go along with Jones', giving SFA five hits in the game.
Covington (18-13) was charged with three earned runs on eight hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
In Game 2, UTSA struck first with a run on three hits in the top of the fourth.
The Ladyjacks responded with three runs in the bottom half. Kayla Gutowski led off with a double to right-center. Pinch-runner Amber Price advanced to third on an illegal pitch. Bishop drew a walk and was lifted for Candise Juarez. The Ladyjacks worked the double steal to perfection, as Juarez broke for second and Price beat the throw from the UTSA shortstop with a nice slide to the back side of the plate, tying the score at one.
Three at-bats later, Kari Hugie got a two-out, infield single to move Juarez to third. Daley followed with a double to left-center that plated Juarez and brought Hugie all the way around from first to give SFA a 3-1 lead.
The Ladyjacks added a fourth run in the next inning. Kendal Harper led off with a double to right-center, prompting UTSA to lift starter Emily Humpal in favor of Morgan Luksa. Luksa struck out the first batter she faced, but Gutowski reached base on an error by the Roadrunner shortstop. The next batter, Bishop hit a hard ground ball to third. Kappler, the UTSA third baseman, swiped at Harper, but she avoided the tag and slid in safely to load the bases. Sabrina Johnston then pinch-hit for Jones and came through with a two-strike single through the right side of the infield to set the final score.
SFA starter Lauren Luetge retired the Roadrunners in order in the top of the sixth and worked around a couple of base knocks in the seventh to strand two runners in scoring position on a game-ending foul pop.
Luetge improved to 10-11 on the season after allowing one earned run on six hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
The Ladyjacks will conclude the regular season Sunday with a single game scheduled to start at noon.
-- SFA --
