Ladyjacks Split Games with Kansas and Coppin State Friday Evening

Friday, February 23

Conway, Ark.

4 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

6-5

Kansas

9-2

Stephen F. Austin

Kansas

Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography

Ladyjacks Split Games with Kansas and Coppin State Friday Evening

2/23/2018 9:10:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Softball gets a walk-off RBI single from designated player Margarita Corona to defeat Coppin State as SFA splits games Friday with 13 total hits

By: Luke Bolanos | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

UCA Softball Invitational Tournament Central

CONWAY, Ark. – After having to change weekend plans due to inclement weather, the Stephen F. Austin softball team made good use of its impromptu opportunity Friday evening by splitting a pair of games with the Big 12's Kansas and Coppin State. The Ladyjacks, now 7-5 on the young season, improved to 6-1 in neutral-site affairs with a 3-2 walk-off win over Coppin State at Central Arkansas' 2018 UCA Softball Invitational in Conway, Arkansas. The victory came after falling 11-1 in five innings to Kansas in the opening game of the tournament.

"The Ladyjacks fought back tonight with a split," head coach Nicole Dickson said following the two games. "It was a great opportunity to get games in at UCA this weekend. We took ourselves out of the Kansas game with walks and errors, and mentally didn't play with confidence and composure."

"We settled down in game two and refocused our attitude and energy," coach Dickson continued. "Amber Landry had a big sacrifice fly to score Emily Evans and tie the game in the fifth after Evans led off the inning with a single. Taylor Fraccastoro and Margarita Corona fought with two outs and had quality at bats in the seventh, which gave us a chance to win the game. It was a solid combined effort tonight with Guffey and Sikes in the circle for game two."

SFA tallied 13 total hits in the two games but only scored four times and committed six combined errors across the two contests, including four against Kansas alone.

Win, 3-2 vs. Coppin State (0-1)
The Ladyjacks overcame a pair of errors and collected eight hits to outlast the Eagles of Coppin State from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, SFA got a pair of singles from two of its seniors as catcher Taylor Fraccastoro (Orange, Texas) singled up the middle and third baseman Amber Landry (Ponchatoula, La.) hit one to left center field. Junior designated player Margarita Corona (Tucson, Ariz.) then knocked one through the left side for the walk-off RBI, scoring Fraccastoro and giving the Ladyjacks the 3-2 triumph.

SFA took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the opening inning when Corona grounded out to Coppin State's shortstop and Fraccastoro scored on an Eagle muffed throw. However, the game would be tied up for the initial time in the top of the second when a Ladyjack throwing error preceded an RBI single by Coppin State left fielder Hatika James. It would not be the last SFA would see of James as she smashed a solo home run over left field in the top of the fifth to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.

Coppin State's lead would not last long before Landry's sacrifice fly to center field, which scored freshman shortstop Emily Evans (Santa Fe, Texas), tied things up at two a piece in the bottom of the fifth.

Landry finished a perfect 3-for-3 in the game with an RBI, while Corona went 2-for-4 at the plate with her walk-off RBI. Fraccastoro scored two of the Ladyjacks' three runs as senior right-handed pitcher Makayla Sikes (Gilmer, Texas) picked up her fourth win of the season after two and 1/3 innings of relief work and two strikeouts. Senior right-hander Callee Guffey (Waco, Texas) tossed the opening four and 2/3 frames, finishing with three strikeouts.

Coppin State shortstop Patricia Soria and the Eagles' James both went 2-for-3 at the plate with James tallying two RBI and Soria once. Aysha Richardson (0-1) took the loss after tossing two and 2/3 innings in relief.

Loss, 11-1 (5) vs. Kansas (9-2)
A four-run first and second inning, followed by a three-run third quickly added up to 11 runs for the Jayhawks as SFA walked seven batters, committed four errors and hit two batters.

Following a walk, stolen base, pair of hit by pitches and another walk, Kansas took a 1-0 lead in the opening inning and never looked back. The Jayhawks then got a three RBI double down the left field line from left fielder Erin McGinley to take a 4-0 advantage after the first inning of play.

After a pair of errors were committed by the Ladyjacks in the bottom of the second frame, Kansas scored four unearned runs courtesy of a sacrifice fly by third baseman Jessie Roane, a single from catcher Harli Ridling, a double by designated player Tarin Travieso and a single from McGinley.

SFA's lone run of the game came in the third when Corona singled through the left side for an RBI, scoring freshman second baseman Bryana Novegil (Houston, Texas). After the margin was narrowed to seven at 8-1, the Jayhawks tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Kansas second baseman Sam Dellinger reached on a fielder's choice as center fielder Brittany Jackson scored, before Roane smacked a two-run homer over the left field fence to make it 11-1.

The Ladyjacks got on base just once more with a Landry single as Jayhawk righty Andie Formby (4-0) closed things out in the circle to claim the complete game win with eight strikeouts. Kansas' McGinley finished the contest 2-for-3 at the plate with four RBI, while Roane went 1-for-1 with three RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Ridling ended the game 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run, and Travieso finished 1-for-1 with a pair each of RBI, walks and runs.

Junior center fielder Courtney Brown (Tucson, Ariz.) was 1-for-1 with a walk for SFA. Sikes took the loss after just 1/3 inning in the circle and four earned runs given up. Sophomore right-hander Jordan Llinas (Houston, Texas) struck out three in two and 1/3 innings of relief duty.

"Tonight, our team showed mental toughness and maturity bouncing back to win game two," commented Dickson. "We fought through some adversity to get a win which builds our character going into conference play. I would like to see our hitters make adjustments sooner tomorrow and really lock in on situational hitting."

Up Next…
Due to forecasted heavy rain and thunderstorms in the Conway area most of the day Saturday, the Ladyjacks game scheduled for 9 a.m. against Louisiana-Monroe has been canceled. SFA will now take Austin Peay out of the Ohio Valley Conference Saturday night in an 8 p.m. first pitch.

For all weather-related SFA softball schedule changes throughout the 2018 spring season, be sure to keep an eye on SFAJacks.com and follow SFA softball on Twitter (@SFA_Softball) and on Facebook (SFA Softball).

-SFA-