Stephen F. Austin
Sam Houston State
Sam Houston Eliminates Ladyjacks
5/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 8, 2009
LAKE CHARLES, La. - A two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday led Sam Houston State to a 2-1 win over Stephen F. Austin, eliminating the Ladyjacks from the 2009 Southland Conference Softball Tournament and ending SFA's season.
No. 4 SFA took a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning of Friday's elimination meeting against sixth-seeded Sam Houston. But Bearkat pitcher Morgan Mikulin blasted a two-run homer in the sixth that led to the Ladyjacks' elimination. SFA finishes the season with a 29-25 record, while the Bearkats (27-25) advance to take on the winner of Friday afternoon's game between UT-Arlington and UTSA.
SFA led from the top of the first inning. Kendal Harper drew a leadoff walk and stole second to get into scoring position. Two at-bats later, she moved to second on a fly ball by Kayla Gutowski. Harper came home on a single thorugh the left side off the bat of Briana Bishop.
Ladyjack starter Monika Covington gave up just three hits over the first five innings and didn't allow a runner past first until Amy Brown led off the sixth with a double. The Bearkats sacrificed her over to third, but she was able to trot home on Mikulin's homer.
SFA posted five hits, including doubles by Gutowski and Bishop, but left a runner stranded in all but two innings, as the Ladyjacks failed to add to their first-inning run.
Covington allowed five hits and a walk with five strikeouts, as she finished the year with a 19-14 record.
-- SFA --
