Stephen F. Austin
Southeastern La.
Ladyjacks Clobber Lions
4/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 18, 2010
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin belted two home runs in its first two at-bats Sunday and never looked back, coasting to a five-inning 9-1 rout of Southeastern Louisiana in the finale of their Southland Conference series at SFA Field. Sunday's win was the second in the Ladyjacks' three-game sweep to be recorded in run-rule fashion.
With the victory, SFA moves into a tie with Texas State for the Southland Conference lead with a 16-5 league record. The Ladyjacks are now 24-12 on the season. Southeastern Louisiana falls to 9-28 overall and 2-17 in conference action.
Six of SFA's 11 hits went for extra bases, as the Ladyjacks blasted three home runs and three doubles. SFA starter Monika Covington held the Lions hitless through the first three innings before giving up a solo home run and a single in the fourth. She improved to 11-7 with the victory and threw eight strikeouts.
After Covington struck out the first three batters she faced, Bethany Brown and Kendal Harper got SFA on the board with back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the first. Brown hit the first offering from Kati Morse off the scoreboard in right-center, then Harper went deep on the fourth pitch she saw to chase the Lions starter from the circle after just five pitches.
Reliever Catherine Gunther didn't fare better. She escaped further damage in the first, but was touched for four runs on three hits in the second, spotting SFA a 6-0 advantage. Karissa Jones drew a walk to lead off the frame and moved to second on a ground-out by Amber Price. The next batter, Michele Huffman, doubled down the left-field line, scoring Jones.
After Brown was hit by a pitch, Harper popped up for the second out. But Kayla Gutowski brought Huffman home with a base knock to center field. Brown took third on the single then came home on a wild pitch, as Gutowski moved to second. Briana Bishop doubled in the next at-bat, bringing Gutowski home.
The Lions got a leadoff homer from Meghan Gomez in the top of the fourth, and Katie Duhe got a one-out single two at-bats later. But Covington closed the door with back-to-back strikeouts.
Harper led off the bottom half with a double to the gap in left-center and scored on a Gutowski single up the middle. Bishop then crushed a home run to center, setting the final score.
Covington polished off Southeastern in the fifth with two strikeouts and a pop-up.
The heart of the SFA lineup - Harper, Gutowski and Bishop - each went 2-for-3. Brown, Ashley Struchtemeyer, Brittany Caruthers, Price and Huffman had a hit apiece.
The Ladyjacks will be back in action Wednesday when they start an eight-game road trip with a doubleheader at Louisiana-Monroe. First pitch against the Warhawks is set for 4 p.m.
-- SFA --
