Stephen F. Austin
Nicholls
Ladyjacks Crush Four Home Runs in Sunday Split with Colonels
3/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nicholls 5, Stephen F. Austin 3
SFA Softball Field • Nacogdoches, Texas
Records: SFA (9-13, 0-1 SLC); NICH (14-9, 1-0 SLC)
Box Score 
Stephen F. Austin 6, Nicholls 1
SFA Softball Field • Nacogdoches, Texas
Records: SFA (10-13, 1-1 SLC); NICH (14-10, 1-1 SLC)
Box Score
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin softball team launched four home runs in a Sunday afternoon split with Nicholls to open Southland Conference play at SFA Softball Field. The Ladyjacks lost game one by a final margin of 5-3 before using three dingers and a solid outing from pitcher Callee Guffey to take game two, 6-1.
Freshman Faith Talley skied a homer in each game of Sunday’s doubleheader while Brittany Lewis and Taylor Fraccastoro each went deep in game two. The three Ladyjacks each have three home runs on the season to tie for the team lead.
SFA scored three runs in each of the first two innings in game two with all six runs coming courtesy of a Ladyjack home run. Junior Courtney Chambers was hit by a pitch in the first inning and scored the first run of the game when Lewis lifted one over the fence in center field.
Talley answered with a solo shot in the next at-bat, sending a charge to a similar spot in center field. The pair of two-out blasts put SFA out in front, 3-0.
Nicholls answered with one run in the top of the second inning but SFA quickly extended its advantage to 6-1 in the bottom half.
In another two-out situation, Fraccastoro caught one flush and fired a three-run missile to left field in the second frame. Autumn Holloway singled to center and Chambers was plunked by another pitch to put two ducks on the pond for the SFA catcher.
The score remained at 6-1 the rest of the way, thanks to a winning effort from Guffey (W, 3-2) in the circle. The sophomore tossed a complete 7.0 innings, gave up one run on six hits and struck out five batters.
The Ladyjacks were outhit 11-2 in the front end of Sunday’s twin bill but still put themselves in a position to win. After going down 1-0 in the third inning, SFA jumped in front 3-1 on a three-run homer off the bat of Talley in the fourth. Chambers and Fraccastoro each drew walks to climb aboard prior to the big knock.
The Colonels scored four runs on four hits in the fifth to regain the edge at 5-3 and never relinquished control.
Lewis surrendered three runs – two earned – on seven hits over 4.1 innings of work in the contest. Sophomore Makayla Sikes (L, 2-6) gave up two more runs on four hits in 2.2 innings and was charged with the loss.
All nine SFA runs between the two games came off home runs and all were scored with two outs.
SFA will travel to Houston on Tuesday for a midweek matchup at Texas Southern. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.
-SFA-
