Sunday, February 24
Mobile, Ala.
11:15 a.m.
Stephen F. Austin
11-5
7
vs
3
Hofstra
1-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Hofstra
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
3
6
1
Stephen F. Austin
2
0
1
0
4
0
X
7
8
1
Photo by: SFA Athletics
Ladyjacks Close Out Mardi Gras Invitational with 7-3 Victory over Hofstra
2/24/2019 4:59:00 PM | Softball
Softball improves to 8-0 in neutral-site affairs after lining eight hits and freshman right fielder Cassidy Tucker’s five RBI day
MOBILE, Ala. – The SFA softball team is 8-0 in neutral-site contests following Sunday's 7-3 triumph over the Colonial Athletic Association's Hofstra as the Ladyjacks improved to 11-5 on the season and closed out play at South Alabama's Mardi Gras Invitational in Mobile, Alabama. Freshman right fielder Cassidy Tucker tallied five of SFA's seven RBI and the Ladyjacks lined eight hits to top the Pride (1-7).
The Ladyjacks used a two-run opening inning and a four-run fifth to get past Hofstra with the Pride scoring only in the fourth frame. Freshman right-handed pitcher Kassidy Wilbur nearly tied her career high by fanning 14 batters en route to claiming her fifth complete game win of the season.
"I'm pleased with our team today, facing Hofstra's ace we knew we had to play well to win," head coach Nicole Dickson commented after Sunday's victory. "She shutdown Nicholls yesterday and kept batters off balance. Our hitters competed and executed situational hitting very well and it was nice seeing our freshman perform at a high level today. (Cassidy) Tucker, (Alex) Hedspeth and (Kassidy) Wilbur all did a solid job, they need that confidence and experience."
"This tournament really allowed growth and maturity to happen the past three days," continued coach Dickson. "What has been nice week-to-week is we've had different players step up and help us be successful, it's been a true team effort to sit at 11-5 on the year."
Following back-to-back strikeouts from Wilbur to begin the game, SFA took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. A Pride fielding error led to a walk and a sacrifice bunt from sophomore designated player Triniti Kendzior, before freshman right fielder Cassidy Tucker singled up the middle for two RBI, scoring sophomore second baseman Bryana Novegil and senior first baseman Margarita Corona.
In fact, Wilbur would strikeout nine of the first 11 batters faced as the Ladyjacks took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third. A one-out double to left field by freshman second baseman Alex Hedspeth and a third base steal led to an RBI groundout by redshirt sophomore center fielder Brittany Crawford.
Hofstra tied things up in the top of the fourth after a pair of singles and a walk led off the inning. A sacrifice fly to center field by Pride first baseman Madison McKevitt made it a two-run game at 3-1 before Hofstra scored a pair of unearned runs with two outs. With a base runner on first and second, an SFA fielding error scored Pride center fielder Courtney Scarpato and third baseman Meghan Giordano to even up the game at 3-3.
With nothing much doing in the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth, the Ladyjacks scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-3 lead that they would not relinquish. Corona was walked to leadoff the frame before Kendzior singled up the middle to put base runners in the corners. Still without any outs, Hedspeth was walked to load the bases as Crawford gained her second RBI of the day with a walk to score Corona. With bases loaded once more Tucker stepped to the plate and rocketed a 2-2 pitch down the right field line for three RBI, her three-run hit brining Kendzior, Hedspeth and Crawford across home plate.
SFA would get a single from junior left fielder Madison Clements, in addition to a fielder's choice and a stolen base, before the four-run, three-hit fifth inning came to a close with a groundout.
Hofstra collected three combined hits in the top of the sixth and seventh, including two singles in the final frame, but Wilbur struck out four across the final two innings to clinch the game.
Tucker finished the game 2-for-4 with five RBI, while Hedspeth went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk and Corona scored two runs and was walked twice. Wilbur secured her sixth win of the season inside the circle to move to 6-4 on the year, allowing just one earned run and walking only three.
The Pride's Kristin Hallam had a 2-for-3 performance at the plate with a run scored as second baseman Kasey Collins was 2-for-4 and McKevitt 1-for-2 with her RBI. Starting pitcher Mackenzie Suto (1-3) took the loss on the rubber after giving up five earned runs in the first four innings of the contest with four walks and a pair of strikeouts.
Both Novegil and Crawford claimed Mardi Gras Invitational All-Tournament Team honors for their performances over the weekend. Novegil hit a team-best .417 across the four games, going 5-for-12 with a triple and an RBI. She also posted a .583 slugging mark and a .462 on-base percentage. Crawford tallied six RBI between Saturday's two games, including going 2-for-3 with four RBI in the 7-2 upset of 25th-ranked Illinois, and finished the weekend with a team-high eight RBI and .636 slugging percentage. Her third home run of the season came at a great time as she blasted a two-run shot over the left center field fence in the bottom of the third inning to give the Ladyjacks a 4-1 lead over the Fighting Illini.
Up Next…
The Ladyjacks return to Texas' oldest town for their third midweek matchup of 2019 this Tuesday, Feb. 26 when the Lady Panthers of Prairie View A&M visit the friendly confines of the SFA Softball Field for a 3 p.m. first pitch.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack softball throughout the 2019 season.
Mardi Gras Invitational All-Tournament Team
Bella Loya, Illinois
Annie Fleming, Illinois
Sydney Sickels, Illinois
Carly Thomas, Illinois
Alexis Reid, South Alabama
Kennedy Cronan, South Alabama
Brittani Reid, South Alabama
Bryana Novegil, SFA
Brittany Crawford, SFA
Kali Clements, Nicholls State
-SFA-
The Ladyjacks used a two-run opening inning and a four-run fifth to get past Hofstra with the Pride scoring only in the fourth frame. Freshman right-handed pitcher Kassidy Wilbur nearly tied her career high by fanning 14 batters en route to claiming her fifth complete game win of the season.
"I'm pleased with our team today, facing Hofstra's ace we knew we had to play well to win," head coach Nicole Dickson commented after Sunday's victory. "She shutdown Nicholls yesterday and kept batters off balance. Our hitters competed and executed situational hitting very well and it was nice seeing our freshman perform at a high level today. (Cassidy) Tucker, (Alex) Hedspeth and (Kassidy) Wilbur all did a solid job, they need that confidence and experience."
"This tournament really allowed growth and maturity to happen the past three days," continued coach Dickson. "What has been nice week-to-week is we've had different players step up and help us be successful, it's been a true team effort to sit at 11-5 on the year."
Following back-to-back strikeouts from Wilbur to begin the game, SFA took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. A Pride fielding error led to a walk and a sacrifice bunt from sophomore designated player Triniti Kendzior, before freshman right fielder Cassidy Tucker singled up the middle for two RBI, scoring sophomore second baseman Bryana Novegil and senior first baseman Margarita Corona.
In fact, Wilbur would strikeout nine of the first 11 batters faced as the Ladyjacks took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third. A one-out double to left field by freshman second baseman Alex Hedspeth and a third base steal led to an RBI groundout by redshirt sophomore center fielder Brittany Crawford.
Hofstra tied things up in the top of the fourth after a pair of singles and a walk led off the inning. A sacrifice fly to center field by Pride first baseman Madison McKevitt made it a two-run game at 3-1 before Hofstra scored a pair of unearned runs with two outs. With a base runner on first and second, an SFA fielding error scored Pride center fielder Courtney Scarpato and third baseman Meghan Giordano to even up the game at 3-3.
With nothing much doing in the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth, the Ladyjacks scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-3 lead that they would not relinquish. Corona was walked to leadoff the frame before Kendzior singled up the middle to put base runners in the corners. Still without any outs, Hedspeth was walked to load the bases as Crawford gained her second RBI of the day with a walk to score Corona. With bases loaded once more Tucker stepped to the plate and rocketed a 2-2 pitch down the right field line for three RBI, her three-run hit brining Kendzior, Hedspeth and Crawford across home plate.
SFA would get a single from junior left fielder Madison Clements, in addition to a fielder's choice and a stolen base, before the four-run, three-hit fifth inning came to a close with a groundout.
Hofstra collected three combined hits in the top of the sixth and seventh, including two singles in the final frame, but Wilbur struck out four across the final two innings to clinch the game.
Tucker finished the game 2-for-4 with five RBI, while Hedspeth went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk and Corona scored two runs and was walked twice. Wilbur secured her sixth win of the season inside the circle to move to 6-4 on the year, allowing just one earned run and walking only three.
The Pride's Kristin Hallam had a 2-for-3 performance at the plate with a run scored as second baseman Kasey Collins was 2-for-4 and McKevitt 1-for-2 with her RBI. Starting pitcher Mackenzie Suto (1-3) took the loss on the rubber after giving up five earned runs in the first four innings of the contest with four walks and a pair of strikeouts.
Both Novegil and Crawford claimed Mardi Gras Invitational All-Tournament Team honors for their performances over the weekend. Novegil hit a team-best .417 across the four games, going 5-for-12 with a triple and an RBI. She also posted a .583 slugging mark and a .462 on-base percentage. Crawford tallied six RBI between Saturday's two games, including going 2-for-3 with four RBI in the 7-2 upset of 25th-ranked Illinois, and finished the weekend with a team-high eight RBI and .636 slugging percentage. Her third home run of the season came at a great time as she blasted a two-run shot over the left center field fence in the bottom of the third inning to give the Ladyjacks a 4-1 lead over the Fighting Illini.
Up Next…
The Ladyjacks return to Texas' oldest town for their third midweek matchup of 2019 this Tuesday, Feb. 26 when the Lady Panthers of Prairie View A&M visit the friendly confines of the SFA Softball Field for a 3 p.m. first pitch.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack softball throughout the 2019 season.
Mardi Gras Invitational All-Tournament Team
Bella Loya, Illinois
Annie Fleming, Illinois
Sydney Sickels, Illinois
Carly Thomas, Illinois
Alexis Reid, South Alabama
Kennedy Cronan, South Alabama
Brittani Reid, South Alabama
Bryana Novegil, SFA
Brittany Crawford, SFA
Kali Clements, Nicholls State
-SFA-
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilbur, Kassidy (6-4)
L: Suto, Mackenzie (1-3)
Batting:
2B: McKevitt, Madison 1
RBI: McKevitt, Madison 1
SF: McKevitt, Madison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hallam, Kristin 1 ; Giordano, Meghan 1 ; Scarpato, Courtney 1
SB: Hallam, Kristin 1 ; Scarpato, Courtney 1
Batting:
2B: Hedspeth, Alex 1 ; Tucker, Cassidy 1
RBI: Crawford, Brittany 2 ; Tucker, Cassidy 5
SH: Novegil, Bryana 1 ; Kendzior, Triniti 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Novegil, Bryana 1 ; Corona, Margarita 2 ; Kendzior, Triniti 1 ; Hedspeth, Alex 2 ; Crawford, Brittany 1
SB: Hedspeth, Alex 1 ; Crawford, Brittany 1 ; Tucker, Cassidy 1 ; Richards, Bailey 1
HBP: Crawford, Brittany 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
5
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball2.1.24 | Axe 'Em Insider Ep. 24 x Softball
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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
