KERRVILLE, Texas – After giving up an early lead in game one that would wind up holding, the LeTourneau University softball team would flip the script on host Schreiner University in game two as the YellowJackets lost and won by a score of 5-3 to split their season opener on Saturday, February 10th.
 
LETU is now 1-1 overall to start the 2018 campaign while the Mountaineers picked up their second win of the year to improve to 2-1-1 overall.
 
In game one, the YellowJackets would find trouble with the offense, recording just two hits in the first four innings of the game. Schreiner University made the most of their first offensive opportunity in the game, collecting back-to-back singles to open things up before an error and double made the score 3-0 with no outs in the bottom of the first. LETU would bounce back and retire the next three batters in order, with one more run coming across for SU on a sacrifice fly.
 
A solo home run for Schreiner to lead off the bottom of the second put the LeTourneau hole at 5-0 as the YellowJackets would manage to get out of the inning by stranding two runners on base, but still face a tall task with SU starting pitcher Hannah Ortiz facing little trouble in the early going. LETU would finally wake the bats in the top of the sixth with a Jacie Gilbert double leading things off before pinch-hitter Katelyn Trombley drove in Gilbert with a double to make the score 5-1 and a runner on second with no outs. Ethel Warren would drive in Trombley on a one-out single and a Shelby Barrick double would make the score 5-3 with Schreiner still on top, but an inning-ending double play ended the YellowJacket threat and kept the deficit at two.
 
Schreiner would again threaten in the bottom of the sixth by putting two runners on with two outs, but LeTourneau would be able to get out of the jam and head to the seventh needing two runs. A leadoff walk by Julie Martinez allowed for the game-tying batter to come to the plate for LETU, but a double-play and popout would end the game as the early hole proved to be too much.
 
Ashley Burdine took the pitching loss for LeTourneau, throwing a complete game and forcing 11 flyouts to go with seven groundouts. All eight LeTourneau hits would come from different batters with Barrick, Giblert, and Trombley collecting the extra-base hits.
 
Game two would be a complete opposite of game one as it would be LeTourneau jumping out to the early lead before fending off a late charge by the Mountaineers. A Macey Mize double would be followed up by a Trombley two out double to bring in the first run of the game before two wild pitches put runners on second and third for MacKenzie. The sophomore would be able to find a hole in the SU defense and collect a two RBI single which would make the score 4-0 in favor of LeTourneau after half an inning of play. LETU would hold Schreiner scoreless in the bottom half of the inning and add a Roach solo home run in the second to make the score 5-0 in favor of the YellowJackets before the two teams would settle in defensively and see the next three and a half innings go scoreless.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Schreiner would hit back-to-back two out doubles to drive in their first run of the game, but it would be all that the Mountaineers could muster in the inning as a pop up with two runners on ended the threat and kept the LeTourneau lead at four heading to the seventh. LETU would threaten with a runner in scoring position in the seventh before seeing Schreiner get out of the inning on a strikeout when things would get interesting for the YellowJackets.
 
A one-out error allowed for the Mountaineers to put a runner on which would be followed up by a pinch-hit single to put runners on the corners with just one out. A single and delayed steal brought home two more runs, but more importantly provided a second out for LeTourneau before a pop up to the shortstop ended the game with the YellowJackets holding on.
 
Faith Genoway notched the win in game two, tossing a complete game and striking out two while allowing just five hits in the game. Trombley would be the big bat for LeTourneau in game two, providing two hits and driving in a run while also scoring a run with Roach scoring twice while collecting the YellowJackets first homer of the year.
 
American Southwest Conference Action starts up next Saturday for LeTourneau, with the YellowJackets heading to Belton, Texas to take on the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor for a three game series. Game one will take place on Friday, February 16^th with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.