Friday, March 30
Nacogdoches, Texas
4 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin
17-14, 5-5
0
vs
1
Sam Houston State
12-22, 5-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Sam Houston State
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
4
0
Stephen F. Austin
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography
Ladyjacks Split Doubleheader with Rival Sam Houston State Friday
3/30/2018 8:28:00 PM | Softball
SFA erupts for 10 hits and seven runs in game two, picks up sixth win of Southland play and 18th of season
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – A tale of two games took place Friday evening at SFA Softball Field in Texas' oldest town as the Stephen F. Austin softball team split a doubleheader with rival Sam Houston State to begin a three-game Southland Conference home series. The Ladyjacks (18-14, 6-5 Southland) rebounded from a 1-0 game one loss by capturing a 7-1 victory in the second contest of the day.
SFA was held to just two hits and got only four runners on base in the opening game of the series, before lining 10 hits in game two and benefitting off of three Bearkat errors. Sam Houston State tallied four hits in both affairs but gave up five unearned runs in the nightcap.
"First, I appreciate the amazing crowd and community support," head coach Nicole Dickson said following the doubleheader. "It was an awesome fan base today and a great environment. Once again, Makayla Sikes and Callee Guffey dominated the day. Great senior leadership today from those two in the circle and Autumn Holloway as well. Our team showed emotional maturing between game one and game two, I'm proud of that growth mindset and fighting back for the doubleheader split.
"I want to see our team make adjustments and make every at-bat count," coach Dickson continued. "To be threats at the plate. Whatever it takes, our offense has to find a way to manufacture runs off of Sam Houston State's McCloud (Lindsey). Tomorrow's rubber match is a, 'Who wants it more game', and whoever that is, will fight and make the necessary adjustments to score runs."
Win, 7-1 vs. Sam Houston State (12-23, 5-6 Southland)
The Ladyjacks scored five runs in the opening two innings of play and tacked on another two in the bottom of the sixth as senior right-hander Callee Guffey (Waco, Texas) gave up just one run for her fifth win of the season in the circle. SFA's 10 hits the most for the Ladyjacks in Southland action this season.
Sam Houston State struck first in the game with a sacrifice fly to center field by shortstop Tiffany Thompson after a double and a sacrifice bunt in the top of the first inning. However, SFA quickly gained its first lead of the day in the bottom of the inning by scoring a trio of runs to go up 3-1. Following a walk and a groundout, senior third baseman Amber Landry singled through the right side and junior first baseman Margarita Corona (Tucson, Ariz.) was walked to load the bases. A single up the middle by senior right fielder Autumn Holloway (Cypress, Texas) resulted in two RBI as both freshman second baseman Bryana Novegil (Houston, Texas) and Landry scored. Corona then scored an unearned run off of a RBI single to shortstop from freshman left fielder Katherine Thompson (Spring, Texas) after Corona had advanced to third on a Bearkat error.
Guffey retired three straight in the top of the second before the Ladyjacks notched a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, taking a commanding four-run lead at 5-1. With runners on first and second, Landry ripped a two-run, one-out triple to right center field off of a 1-2 pitch.
SFA allowed just two hits in the third through sixth innings and added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Following a Novegil single, senior catcher Taylor Fraccastoro's (Orange, Texas) third hit-by-pitch of the day and a Sam Houston State fielding error, Holloway smacked her second two RBI single to right center field with two outs, mounting the Ladyjacks' lead to 7-1.
The Bearkats got one hit in the top of the seventh but that was it, making the 7-1 score final.
Landry finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored, while Holloway went 2-for-4 with four RBI and Novegil scored twice. Guffey (5-6) struck out three of 25 batters faced to earn her third complete game win of the season.
Sam Houston State's Darby Fitzpatrick (0-7) took the loss after tossing all six innings on the rubber and striking out two.
Loss, 1-0 vs. Sam Houston State (12-22, 5-5 Southland)
A one-run third inning by the Bearkats allowed the visitors to escape game one of the series with a win and handed SFA its fourth one-run loss in league play this season.
Collecting two of its four hits in the top of the third, Sam Houston State got a double from catcher Megan Crosby and then a single from third baseman Taylor Fuselier, before scoring on a RBI groundout to second base by left fielder Samantha Belongia.
Fraccastoro was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the first inning but the Ladyjacks were held hitless through the first five innings of play. SFA got its first hit of the day in the bottom of the sixth inning when sophomore center fielder Madison Clements (Pearland, Texas) singled to left field with one out. Fraccastoro was then hit-by-pitch for a second time, allowing SFA to have runners on first and second with two outs, but another strikeout by Bearkat right-handed pitcher Lindsey McLeod quickly ended the inning. Holloway singled to center field with one out in the bottom of the seventh for the Ladyjacks' second hit of the game but SFA couldn't get anything else to go its way.
Senior righty Makayla Sikes (Gilmer, Texas) (10-6) allowed just one hit in the final four innings of the game but took the loss after throwing all seven frames and striking out four of 24 batters faced.
Sam Houston State's Crosby, Fuselier and Belongia all finished 1-for-2 at the plate, while McLeod (9-7) struck out 13 of 25 Ladyjack batters faced to pick up the complete game win in the circle.
Up Next…
The third and final game of the weekend series with the Bearkats is slated for Saturday at 12 p.m. The Ladyjacks will then continue their eight-game homestand Wednesday, April 4 when they step out of Southland play for a midweek non-conference tilt with Northwestern State at 5 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-
SFA was held to just two hits and got only four runners on base in the opening game of the series, before lining 10 hits in game two and benefitting off of three Bearkat errors. Sam Houston State tallied four hits in both affairs but gave up five unearned runs in the nightcap.
"First, I appreciate the amazing crowd and community support," head coach Nicole Dickson said following the doubleheader. "It was an awesome fan base today and a great environment. Once again, Makayla Sikes and Callee Guffey dominated the day. Great senior leadership today from those two in the circle and Autumn Holloway as well. Our team showed emotional maturing between game one and game two, I'm proud of that growth mindset and fighting back for the doubleheader split.
"I want to see our team make adjustments and make every at-bat count," coach Dickson continued. "To be threats at the plate. Whatever it takes, our offense has to find a way to manufacture runs off of Sam Houston State's McCloud (Lindsey). Tomorrow's rubber match is a, 'Who wants it more game', and whoever that is, will fight and make the necessary adjustments to score runs."
Win, 7-1 vs. Sam Houston State (12-23, 5-6 Southland)
The Ladyjacks scored five runs in the opening two innings of play and tacked on another two in the bottom of the sixth as senior right-hander Callee Guffey (Waco, Texas) gave up just one run for her fifth win of the season in the circle. SFA's 10 hits the most for the Ladyjacks in Southland action this season.
Sam Houston State struck first in the game with a sacrifice fly to center field by shortstop Tiffany Thompson after a double and a sacrifice bunt in the top of the first inning. However, SFA quickly gained its first lead of the day in the bottom of the inning by scoring a trio of runs to go up 3-1. Following a walk and a groundout, senior third baseman Amber Landry singled through the right side and junior first baseman Margarita Corona (Tucson, Ariz.) was walked to load the bases. A single up the middle by senior right fielder Autumn Holloway (Cypress, Texas) resulted in two RBI as both freshman second baseman Bryana Novegil (Houston, Texas) and Landry scored. Corona then scored an unearned run off of a RBI single to shortstop from freshman left fielder Katherine Thompson (Spring, Texas) after Corona had advanced to third on a Bearkat error.
Guffey retired three straight in the top of the second before the Ladyjacks notched a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, taking a commanding four-run lead at 5-1. With runners on first and second, Landry ripped a two-run, one-out triple to right center field off of a 1-2 pitch.
SFA allowed just two hits in the third through sixth innings and added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Following a Novegil single, senior catcher Taylor Fraccastoro's (Orange, Texas) third hit-by-pitch of the day and a Sam Houston State fielding error, Holloway smacked her second two RBI single to right center field with two outs, mounting the Ladyjacks' lead to 7-1.
The Bearkats got one hit in the top of the seventh but that was it, making the 7-1 score final.
Landry finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored, while Holloway went 2-for-4 with four RBI and Novegil scored twice. Guffey (5-6) struck out three of 25 batters faced to earn her third complete game win of the season.
Sam Houston State's Darby Fitzpatrick (0-7) took the loss after tossing all six innings on the rubber and striking out two.
Loss, 1-0 vs. Sam Houston State (12-22, 5-5 Southland)
A one-run third inning by the Bearkats allowed the visitors to escape game one of the series with a win and handed SFA its fourth one-run loss in league play this season.
Collecting two of its four hits in the top of the third, Sam Houston State got a double from catcher Megan Crosby and then a single from third baseman Taylor Fuselier, before scoring on a RBI groundout to second base by left fielder Samantha Belongia.
Fraccastoro was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the first inning but the Ladyjacks were held hitless through the first five innings of play. SFA got its first hit of the day in the bottom of the sixth inning when sophomore center fielder Madison Clements (Pearland, Texas) singled to left field with one out. Fraccastoro was then hit-by-pitch for a second time, allowing SFA to have runners on first and second with two outs, but another strikeout by Bearkat right-handed pitcher Lindsey McLeod quickly ended the inning. Holloway singled to center field with one out in the bottom of the seventh for the Ladyjacks' second hit of the game but SFA couldn't get anything else to go its way.
Senior righty Makayla Sikes (Gilmer, Texas) (10-6) allowed just one hit in the final four innings of the game but took the loss after throwing all seven frames and striking out four of 24 batters faced.
Sam Houston State's Crosby, Fuselier and Belongia all finished 1-for-2 at the plate, while McLeod (9-7) struck out 13 of 25 Ladyjack batters faced to pick up the complete game win in the circle.
Up Next…
The third and final game of the weekend series with the Bearkats is slated for Saturday at 12 p.m. The Ladyjacks will then continue their eight-game homestand Wednesday, April 4 when they step out of Southland play for a midweek non-conference tilt with Northwestern State at 5 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-
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McLeod, Lindsey (9-7)
L: Sikes, Makayla (10-6)
Batting:
2B: Crosby, Megan 1
RBI: Belongia, Samantha 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Crosby, Megan 1
CS: Thompson, Tiffany 1 ; White, Bailey 1
Base Running:
HBP: Fraccastoro, Taylor 2
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF/C
/ SoftballC/UTIL
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C/INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball2.1.24 | Axe 'Em Insider Ep. 24 x Softball
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SFA Completes Epic Comeback: SFA Softball
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