Stephen F. Austin
Houston Baptist
Ladyjacks Swept In Doubleheader At HBU
4/29/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 29, 2013
HOUSTON, Texas - After waiting two days due to postponements, the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks were finally able to take the diamond at Houston Baptist on Monday but dropped both games by scores of 3-2 and 11-2 (6 innings) respectively.
With both losses SFA (14-30, 7-16) was officially eliminated from competing at the Southland Conference Tournament May 9-11 in Natchitoches, La. The Ladyjacks will now return home for the final three games of the season, beginning with a non-conference matchup against North Texas on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. SFA will then host Southeastern Louisiana this weekend starting with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. start in the season finale on Sunday.
Game 1: HBU 3-SFA 2
The Ladyjacks and Huskies (14-24, 5-17) picked things up in the top of the fourth inning with HBU already leading 1-0 in a game that was originally delayed on Saturday.
SFA took a 2-1 lead in after scoring twice in the top of the fifth inning on three hits. Senior outfielder Bethany Brown started the rally with a one-out double and was later brought home by a two-out RBI double from junior shortstop Elizabeth Arana, her 11th double of the season. Junior outfielder Nicole Wooten then gave SFA a 2-1 lead with a run-scoring single to left to plate Arana.
However, HBU rallied for two runs of their own off SFA senior pitcher Angela White in the bottom of the sixth inning on two hits and one SFA error. Holly Webb tied the game 2-2 with an RBI single followed by a sacrifice fly from catcher Katie Maddock to give HBU a 3-2 advantage.
SFA put up a threat in the top of the seventh inning, getting runners to third and second base with two outs but HBU starting pitcher Sarah Shotton earned the complete game victory by striking out SFA freshman Shanice Love to end the game.
Shotton improved to 5-7 despite allowing 10 hits, surrendering just the two earned runs while striking out seven and walking none. White fell to 5-15 by allowing all three runs, of which only one was earned.
Game 2: HBU 11-SFA 2 (6 innings)
HBU jumped on SFA early, scoring a combined five runs in the first two innings off White and never looked back en route to an 11-2 six-inning run-rule victory over SFA. The Huskies' Kirsten Schwirtlich and Melissa Herman each had three hits for HBU.
SFA managed to cut the deficit to 5-2 in the top of the fifth inning but HBU put the game away with six runs in the bottom of the sixth to end the game.
White suffered the loss in the circle, allowing eight earned runs on 12 hits while Shuler earned her second victory of the day.
-SFA-
