Ladyjacks Split on First Day of Red & White Showcase in Houston

Friday, March 2

Houston, Texas

3:30 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

8-6

Mississippi Valley State

1-10

Stephen F. Austin

Mississippi Val.

Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography

Ladyjacks Split on First Day of Red & White Showcase in Houston

3/2/2018 11:20:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SFA defeats Mississippi Valley State in run-rule fashion in six innings but suffers a 5-1 loss at Houston

By: Luke Bolanos | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

Houston Red & White Showcase Tournament Central

HOUSTON – The Stephen F. Austin softball team split a pair of games Friday on the opening day of the University of Houston's Red & White Showcase, picking up an 8-0 run-rule win over Mississippi Valley State in six innings and falling 5-1 against Houston. The Ladyjacks (8-7) tallied 12 runs on the day, gave up just 10 combined hits and made only one error between the two games.

"In game one Makayla Sikes did a really good job of attacking the zone and getting strikes," head coach Nicole Dickson said after Friday's two games. "I thought the bottom half of our lineup did an excellent job of getting on base, they had quality at bats and really stepped up. We made routine plays and played clean softball, we had good energy and made adjustments."

"We're trying different things with the lineup right now," continued coach Dickson. "Makayla Sikes had her first at bat in the last three years and did an excellent job having quality at bats in the nine-hole for us. Right now, we're just trying to find ways to win. Game one we played as a team, made routine plays and had quality pitching to give ourselves a chance to win."

With the win over the Devilettes (1-10) in the first contest of the day SFA improves to 7-2 in neutral-site games this season.

Win, 8-0 (6) vs. Mississippi Valley State (1-10)
The Ladyjacks totaled eight hits in their opening bout with Mississippi Valley State and scored the majority of their runs in the second and third innings. Behind strong pitching from senior right-hander Makayla Sikes (Gilmer, Texas), SFA gave up just four hits in the six innings and was perfect in the field.

Three of the Ladyjacks' seven runs came in the second inning as Sikes was walked for an RBI, allowing junior center fielder Courtney Brown (Tucson, Ariz.) to score for the first run of the game. Freshman second baseman Bryana Novegil (Houston, Texas) connected on a RBI single through the right side before freshman shortstop Emily Evans (Santa Fe, Texas) reached home on an illegal pitch to give SFA a 3-0 lead.

In the third, another Sikes RBI walk led to Brown scoring following a pair of walks, a fielder's choice, a single and two stolen bases. The Ladyjacks' fourth run of the contest preceded Novegil's second triple of the season, a bases-clearing three RBI hit that gave SFA a commanding 7-0 advantage.

After two and a half scoreless frames, senior right fielder Autumn Holloway (Cypress, Texas) singled to third base for an RBI, putting the game out of reach for the Devilettes at 8-0.

Novegil completed the game 2-for-3 behind the plate with four RBI and a walk, while junior Shay Vegas (Flower Mound, Texas) went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored. Sikes (5-4) picked up her fifth win of the season in the circle after tossing a complete game with three strikeouts.

Mississippi Valley State's Alejandra Salazar (0-4) took the loss after striking out four but walking six in all six innings of work.

Loss, 5-1 at Houston (9-4)
A four-run third inning by the host Cougars (9-4) pushed Houston past the visiting Ladyjacks in SFA's second game Friday. Although held to six hits, the Cougars kept the Ladyjacks in check and allowed just four SFA hits.

Houston took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the opening inning when third baseman Sarah Queen doubled to left field for an RBI. The Cougars would then expand their advantage to 5-0 in the bottom of the third after SFA could not get a runner in scoring position through the first three innings of the contest. A Ladyjack fielding error led directly to Houston's third run of the game after Queen singled to right field. Moments later first baseman Tierrah Williams grounded out for an RBI to make it 3-0, before Queen scored an unearned run on a wild pitch by sophomore righty Autumn Anderson (Fort Collins, Colo.). Cougar center fielder Lindsey Stewart made it a 5-0 game by scoring what would be Houston's final run of the game with an RBI single to third base.

SFA got just one hit in the fourth through sixth innings and could not advance a runner past second base before senior catcher Amber Landry (Ponchatoula, La.) led off in the seventh and crushed a solo home run over the left field fence. Her third homer of the season was the Ladyjacks' lone score of the game after junior third baseman Lauren Becker (Cypress, Texas) had a would-be home run in the top of the third robbed by a Houston's Stewart on a spectacular catch.

Novegil had another good game, going 2-for-2 at the plate as senior right-handed pitcher Callee Guffey (Waco, Texas) struck out three and didn't give up a run in three and 1/3 innings of relief work. Anderson took the loss in the circle after going two and 2/3 innings with a strikeout.

Cougar second baseman Arielle James went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, while Queen finished 2-for-3 as well with an RBI and a run scored. Houston's right-hander Savannah Heebner (5-1) picked up the complete game win after striking out two and walking none in 25 batters faced.

"Overall, our dugout was really good today," Dickson added. "For the most part we were consistent, we were steady, we were locked in. This was the most focused we've been in a two-game series. Everybody was on the fence, everybody was locked in, making adjustments and into it. We had really good feedback in our hitters communicating after at bats. I thought we did a really good job making adjustments."

Up Next…
The Ladyjacks will take on Mississippi Valley State and Houston once again Saturday before facing Southern University Sunday in SFA's final game of the Red & White Showcase. First pitch of the Ladyjacks' tilt with the Devilettes Saturday is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and SFA will take on Houston at 5:30 p.m.

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 Facebook (SFA Softball) and Twitter (@SFA_Softball).

Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack softball throughout the season.

-SFA-