Saturday, March 24
Beaumont, Texas
2 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin
17-13, 5-4
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Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography
Ladyjacks Rout Cardinals 4-1 Saturday, Earn First Series Win over Lamar Since 2014
3/24/2018 5:05:00 PM | Softball
SFA scores four runs on five hits, using a two-run second inning and getting an insurance home run in the seventh
BEAUMONT, Texas – For the first time since the 2014 season, the Stephen F. Austin softball team earned a series win over Lamar Saturday at the LU Softball Complex in Beaumont, Texas. The Ladyjacks scored four runs on five hits, picking up a 4-1 game three win over the Cardinals (18-14, 4-5 Southland) after a seventh-inning insurance home run courtesy of junior designated player/first baseman Margarita Corona (Tucson, Ariz.).
The victory gives improves SFA to 17-13 overall and 5-4 in Southland Conference play, matching their overall win total from a year ago.
"To get this series win on the road is huge," head coach Nicole Dickson said after game. "It's a great team win, our players came out today and made adjustments. We had a great combined outing from Makayla Sikes and Callee Guffey, they did their job. We were cleaner on defense and props to the middle of our lineup, Autumn Holloway, Margarita Corona, Katherine Thompson and Triniti Kendzior, they just got it done. We had less strikeouts today and put the ball in play."
"To come here and play in this environment and win the series is huge," continued coach Dickson. "It's huge for our team, they just need some confidence and we're just so close to being great. I think this weekend may be the turning point. From this point forward we are ready to roll."
Despite being outhit by the home team 6-5, the Ladyjacks benefited from a pair of Cardinal errors and scored two runs in the second inning. Senior right-handed pitchers Makayla Sikes (Gilmer, Texas) and Callee Guffey (Waco, Texas) combined to strikeout 11 Lamar batters and were aided by great defensive play from SFA in the field.
The Ladyjacks scored on their first opportunity in the top of the second, collecting their first two hits of game in the frame. A slow chopper by senior right fielder Autumn Holloway (Cypress, Texas) got between Lamar's second and first baseman for SFA's first hit of the game, before freshman left fielder Katherine Thompson (Spring, Texas) tripled down the right field line. Thompson's hit providing the first score of the contest as Holloway scored from first base. Moments later, freshman first baseman/designated player Triniti Kendzior (Deer Park, Texas) grounded out to second base for an RBI, bringing home Thompson for a 2-0 lead.
Following two scoreless innings of softball, the Ladyjacks scored a run in the top of the fifth to take a 3-0 advantage. Leadoff second baseman Bryana Novegil (Houston, Texas) singled up the middle and senior catcher Taylor Fraccastoro (Orange, Texas) reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt, giving SFA two on with no outs. A Lamar fielding error allowed Corona to safely reach first as Novegil scored an unearned run from second.
The Ladyjacks worked themselves out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth after the Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs following a pair of singles and a SFA fielding error. However, Sikes notched her sixth strikeout of the game to end the frame. In the bottom of the sixth inning, it was Guffey who came in relief of Sikes following two walks. The senior struck out three in order to close out the inning and send the Ladyjacks into the seventh still leading 3-0.
Corona crushed her second homer of the weekend and fifth of the season on a rocket down the right field line with two outs in the top of the seventh, making it a 4-0 run affair. After Guffey's fourth-straight strikeout to begin the bottom of the final inning and a fly out, Lamar second baseman Kelly Meeuwsen elevated a 3-1 pitch over the right center field fence for the Cardinals lone run of the game. Following a Lamar single to center field, Guffey closed out the game with her fifth strikeout of the afternoon.
Corona, Holloway, Thompson and Kendzior combined to go 4-for-13 in the middle of SFA's lineup with three RBI and three runs scored. Sikes (10-5) picked up her 10th win of the season in the circle with six strikeouts in five innings of work, while Guffey (4-6) registered her second save of the week with five strikeouts in two innings of relief.
Cardinal center fielder Shannon Klaus finished 2-for-4 and left fielder Kendall Talley went 1-for-2 with a walk as righty Taylor Gruell (7-4) took the loss on the rubber with two strikeouts in four innings.
Up Next…
The Ladyjacks wrap up their nine-game road swing Tuesday, March 27 at Texas in Austin with a 6 p.m. first pitch, broadcast live on the Longhorn Network. SFA will then return to the comforts of SFA Softball Field next weekend, Friday and Saturday, March 30-31, for a Southland series against rival Sam Houston State.
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-
The victory gives improves SFA to 17-13 overall and 5-4 in Southland Conference play, matching their overall win total from a year ago.
"To get this series win on the road is huge," head coach Nicole Dickson said after game. "It's a great team win, our players came out today and made adjustments. We had a great combined outing from Makayla Sikes and Callee Guffey, they did their job. We were cleaner on defense and props to the middle of our lineup, Autumn Holloway, Margarita Corona, Katherine Thompson and Triniti Kendzior, they just got it done. We had less strikeouts today and put the ball in play."
"To come here and play in this environment and win the series is huge," continued coach Dickson. "It's huge for our team, they just need some confidence and we're just so close to being great. I think this weekend may be the turning point. From this point forward we are ready to roll."
Despite being outhit by the home team 6-5, the Ladyjacks benefited from a pair of Cardinal errors and scored two runs in the second inning. Senior right-handed pitchers Makayla Sikes (Gilmer, Texas) and Callee Guffey (Waco, Texas) combined to strikeout 11 Lamar batters and were aided by great defensive play from SFA in the field.
The Ladyjacks scored on their first opportunity in the top of the second, collecting their first two hits of game in the frame. A slow chopper by senior right fielder Autumn Holloway (Cypress, Texas) got between Lamar's second and first baseman for SFA's first hit of the game, before freshman left fielder Katherine Thompson (Spring, Texas) tripled down the right field line. Thompson's hit providing the first score of the contest as Holloway scored from first base. Moments later, freshman first baseman/designated player Triniti Kendzior (Deer Park, Texas) grounded out to second base for an RBI, bringing home Thompson for a 2-0 lead.
Following two scoreless innings of softball, the Ladyjacks scored a run in the top of the fifth to take a 3-0 advantage. Leadoff second baseman Bryana Novegil (Houston, Texas) singled up the middle and senior catcher Taylor Fraccastoro (Orange, Texas) reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt, giving SFA two on with no outs. A Lamar fielding error allowed Corona to safely reach first as Novegil scored an unearned run from second.
The Ladyjacks worked themselves out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth after the Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs following a pair of singles and a SFA fielding error. However, Sikes notched her sixth strikeout of the game to end the frame. In the bottom of the sixth inning, it was Guffey who came in relief of Sikes following two walks. The senior struck out three in order to close out the inning and send the Ladyjacks into the seventh still leading 3-0.
Corona crushed her second homer of the weekend and fifth of the season on a rocket down the right field line with two outs in the top of the seventh, making it a 4-0 run affair. After Guffey's fourth-straight strikeout to begin the bottom of the final inning and a fly out, Lamar second baseman Kelly Meeuwsen elevated a 3-1 pitch over the right center field fence for the Cardinals lone run of the game. Following a Lamar single to center field, Guffey closed out the game with her fifth strikeout of the afternoon.
Corona, Holloway, Thompson and Kendzior combined to go 4-for-13 in the middle of SFA's lineup with three RBI and three runs scored. Sikes (10-5) picked up her 10th win of the season in the circle with six strikeouts in five innings of work, while Guffey (4-6) registered her second save of the week with five strikeouts in two innings of relief.
Cardinal center fielder Shannon Klaus finished 2-for-4 and left fielder Kendall Talley went 1-for-2 with a walk as righty Taylor Gruell (7-4) took the loss on the rubber with two strikeouts in four innings.
Up Next…
The Ladyjacks wrap up their nine-game road swing Tuesday, March 27 at Texas in Austin with a 6 p.m. first pitch, broadcast live on the Longhorn Network. SFA will then return to the comforts of SFA Softball Field next weekend, Friday and Saturday, March 30-31, for a Southland series against rival Sam Houston State.
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-
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sikes, Makayla (10-5)
L: Gruell, Taylor (7-4)
S: Guffey, Callee (2)
Batting:
3B: Thompson, Katherine 1
HR: Corona, Margarita 1
RBI: Corona, Margarita 1 ; Thompson, Katherine 1 ; Kendzior, Triniti 1
SH: Fraccastoro, Taylor 1 ; Evans, Emily 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Novegil, Bryana 1 ; Corona, Margarita 1 ; Holloway, Autumn 1 ; Thompson, Katherine 1
HBP: Novegil, Bryana 1 ; Landry, Amber 1
Batting:
HR: Meeuwsen, Kelly 1
RBI: Meeuwsen, Kelly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Meeuwsen, Kelly 1
SB: Meeuwsen, Kelly 1
HBP: Hughston, Shelby 1
Game Leaders
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Players Mentioned
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/ Softball2.1.24 | Axe 'Em Insider Ep. 24 x Softball
Friday, February 02
Softball - Stephen F. Austin - 02/22/2017: Stephen F. Austin
Wednesday, February 22
Softball - Stephen F. Austin - 02/22/2017: Stephen F. Austin
Wednesday, February 22
SFA Completes Epic Comeback: SFA Softball
Thursday, May 12
