Stephen F. Austin
Sam Houston
Bearkats Take Two At SFA
3/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 1, 2011
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin softball team gave up a seventh-inning home run to drop a 2-1 decision in Game 1 of its doubleheader against Sam Houston State Tuesday at SFA Field. The Bearkats then led off the second game with back-to-back homers in the first inning and went on to take a run-rule-shortened 10-2 verdict, wrapping up the win in the Southland Conference-opening series for both squads.
The Ladyjacks fall to 3-15 with the two-game sweep, while Sam Houston State improves to 9-13 on the year.
SFA starter Monika Covington scattered five hits over seven innings in the opener. The Ladyjacks matched Sam Houston with five hits of their own but left six runners aboard, including three in scoring position, and ran themselves out of a bases-loaded situation in the second inning.
The Ladyjacks seized the early lead when Lacy Liles scored in the second on a base knock through the left side by Krista Hallmark. The RBI single followed a hit down the left-field line by Charlotte Singleton that loaded the bases. The next batter, Amber Price, grounded to third, and Sam Houston cut down the lead runner, Bethany Brown, at the plate. Bearkat catcher Sarah Allison threw to third, trying to double off Singleton, but her throw sailed into left field, and Hallmark was caught in a run-down between second and third for the final out of the inning.
The Bearkats answered with a run in the top of the third, when Alex Survant trotted home on a sacrifice fly by Allison. Survant had moved from first to third on a double by Kim Damian.
Covington held the Bearkats to just one hit over the next three innings, but Ashley Isbell led off the seventh with a home run to dead center. The Ladyjacks, meanwhile, managed just two hits after their big second inning and went down in order in the seventh to set the final score.
Covington (0-9) was charged with two earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts.
Cadie Weaver went 2-for-3 to lead SFA at the plate. Jessica Arana, Singleton and Hallmark each hit safely once.
The Ladyjacks put up five more hits in Game 2, including a two-RBI single by Brown, but the Bearkats banged out 14 base knocks, a season-high for SFA opponents to take the six-inning win.
Hailey Wiginton and Survant led off the top of the first with consecutive homers to right field. The Bearkats added a run in the second and three more on three hits in the third, chasing Ladyjack starter Carlie Thomas from the circle.
SFA's lone baserunner through the first three innings came on Price's leadoff single. The Ladyjacks got on the board in the fourth with Brown's two-run single to left. Both Elizabeth and Jessica Arana scored on the play. They had reached on a walk and a base hit, respectively, then Liles moved them into scoring position with a single to left.
Liles and Brown moved up to third and second, respectively, on a fly ball to right by Singleton, but Sam Houston escaped the inning on a strikeout.
The Bearkats would add four runs on four hits in the sixth.
SFA's only other hit in the game came from Elizabeth Arana, who doubled to the gap in right-center to lead off the bottom of the second. Three at-bats later, Brown drew a two-out walk, the Haleigh Willis was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Sam Houston got a ground ball to third to end the game.
Thomas (3-5) took the loss after giving up five earned runs on seven hits and a walk through 2.1 innings. Angela White worked 3.2 innings in relief, giving up four runs on seven hits and two walks. She struck out one.
The Ladyjacks and Bearkats will conclude their series Wednesday with a single game, scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
-- SFA --
