SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of Incarnate Word softball team split Friday's doubleheader with Southland Conference opponent Stephen F. Austin winning the series opener 5-4 in extra innings, while dropping the evening matchup, 3-2 in a closely contested game at Cardinals Field.
Bridget Stein (Brenham/Brenham HS) got the ball for the first game and she was sharp early on. Neither team could get much going offensively in the early portion of the contest as it took until the fourth inning to score the first run of the ballgame. SFA (20-23, 9-10) scored the first run of the game when Ashley Holloway scored on an error giving the LadyJacks a 1-0 lead. The Cardinals answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning when
Katie Helm (New Braunfels/Canyon HS) scored on a wild pitch to even the score at 1-1.
The fireworks began in the seventh inning starting with a three run top of the inning for the Ladyjacks. With Stein still in the pitching circle, SFA was able to put together back-to-back singles to open the inning and they would later capitalize with an RBI single through the left side by Taylor Fraccastoro and a sacrifice bunt by Faith Talley which also drove in a run to make the score 4-1.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Cardinals (15-28, 6-14) were able to rally with three runs of their own highlighted by a two-run blast from Helm and an infield groundout by
Victoria Bratcher (Colleyville/Colleyville Heritage HS) that scored the game tying run and forced the game into extra innings.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Cardinals were able to get the walk-off win. They loaded the bases with two outs when
Natali Duron (Pasadena/Pasadena Memorial HS) singled up the middle for the walk off victory, 5-4 victory.
Stein went 7.0 innings and she gave up four runs, three earned, on nine hits and she also struck out three batters.
Sarah Leal (Kyle/Hays HS) picked up the victory after coming in to start the eighth inning. She finished the final two innings only allowing two hits and she also struck out three batters. Makayla Sikes made the start for the Ladyjacks and she went 6.0 innings giving up three earned runs on five hits. Calle Guffey is charged with the loss after coming in for the final 2.2 innings.
The Cardinals put together eight hits at the plate.
Brigitte Gauvin (Winnipeg, Manitoba/College Louis-Riel) and Helm each had two hits to lead the team. Helm had the big two run homer and Duron had the game winning hit. For SFA, Brittany Lewis led the team with three hits and an RBI.
After winning the first game in thrilling fashion, the Cardinals could not ride the momentum into the second game. In the top of the first, the Ladyjacks scored an early run after Lewis hit a solo homerun to center field. In the top of the fifth, SFA would add two more runs highlighted by an RBI double by Lewis for her second RBI of the game giving the Ladyjacks a 3-0 lead.
However, the Cardinals would make things interesting in the bottom of the sixth inning by scoring two runs on a double by
Mikaela Flores (Lockhart/Lockhart HS), but UIW could not complete the comeback.
Darrianne Hale (Mesquite/Bishop Lynch HS) made the start for the Cardinals and she went 4.1 innings allowing three earned runs on four hits. Leal finished the final 2.2 innings giving up just one hit. Guffey started the game for the Ladyjacks and she went the full 7.0 innings giving up two earned runs on four hits. Hale was charged with the loss while Guffey picked up her eighth victory of the season.
At the plate, UIW had just four hits and Flores led the team with two RBI's. Lewis went 3-for-3 with two RBI's and one run scored for SFA.
The series finale will take place tomorrow at noon at Cardinals Field, as UIW will look to win their third Southland Conference series of the season.
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