Softball at a loss against Austin College
Philip Carkhuff
Issue date: 2/23/10 Section: Sports
The bats of the University of Dallas softball team heated up on a cold night in Sherman, but they weren't enough to bring home the season's first wins against rival Austin College.
In the early going of game one, UD and Austin traded blows through the first three innings until the fourth, in which the Crusaders plated four runs, two off senior pitcher Whitney Thomas' homerun, the team's first of the year. With an 8-3 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, Austin fought back for five runs of their own and sent the game into extra innings. A walk-off triple would give them the victory in the eighth.
In the game, Freshman catcher Morgan Smith knocked two base hits, scored twice, drove in a run and stole her second base of the year. Freshman shortstop Brittany Castro, freshman third baseman Christina Jeffrey and sophomore second baseman Becca Burns also had two hits apiece and combined for three RBI. Senior centerfielder Amber Adams had her first multi-hit game of the year, going two for five with a run.
In the nightcap, Austin jumped out to an early lead and left UD for dead. However, in the fifth inning, the Crusaders showed heart and strung a few hits together to put them back in the game. Castro and Jeffrey again came through with big RBIs, and freshman first baseman Sandra Gallegos scorched a line drive into center field to bring across two of the inning's four runs.
UD pitching put the team in a position to win against a powerful Austin lineup but suffered from the defense's four errors early in the contest.
The Crusaders will play two games on Friday and two games on Saturday as they host the UD Spring Kickoff Tournament.
In the early going of game one, UD and Austin traded blows through the first three innings until the fourth, in which the Crusaders plated four runs, two off senior pitcher Whitney Thomas' homerun, the team's first of the year. With an 8-3 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, Austin fought back for five runs of their own and sent the game into extra innings. A walk-off triple would give them the victory in the eighth.
In the game, Freshman catcher Morgan Smith knocked two base hits, scored twice, drove in a run and stole her second base of the year. Freshman shortstop Brittany Castro, freshman third baseman Christina Jeffrey and sophomore second baseman Becca Burns also had two hits apiece and combined for three RBI. Senior centerfielder Amber Adams had her first multi-hit game of the year, going two for five with a run.
In the nightcap, Austin jumped out to an early lead and left UD for dead. However, in the fifth inning, the Crusaders showed heart and strung a few hits together to put them back in the game. Castro and Jeffrey again came through with big RBIs, and freshman first baseman Sandra Gallegos scorched a line drive into center field to bring across two of the inning's four runs.
UD pitching put the team in a position to win against a powerful Austin lineup but suffered from the defense's four errors early in the contest.
The Crusaders will play two games on Friday and two games on Saturday as they host the UD Spring Kickoff Tournament.
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