LONGVIEW, Texas - Fending off a late rally, the LeTourneau University softball team picked up a 10-9 win over Trinity University Texas before falling in game two by a score of 9-1 to split a doubleheader at the LETU Softball Field in Longview, Texas on Wednesday, March 14th. 

Winners of three of their past four, LETU is now 6-9 overall while Trinity runs their record to 9-6 overall following the split. 

Game One:
Game one would be take the YellowJackets pulling away late following an early deficit and fourth-inning tie despite not trailing by any deficit larger than than one run. After the Tigers would put up a single run in the top of the first, LeTourneau would respond with four runs in the bottom of the first with LETU sending eight batters to the plate and using four singles to go with a leadoff double to put post the four-run inning. 

Trinity's biggest scoring output of the game would come in the top of the third, scoring three unearned runs as part of a total four-run inning to reclaim the lead at 5-4, but see the YelowJackets respond with a Jacie Gilbert two RBI single in the bottom of the third to go back up by a score of 6-5. 

The Tigers would tie the score at 6-6 on a two-out single to left field in the top of the fourth, but see the tie game be short lived after the YellowJackets put up a two-spot in their half of the fourth as Katelyn Trombley hit a triple down the right field line to bring home Ashlin Roach and Macey Mize. LETU would go on to add two more runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth, holding a four-run lead heading into the top of the seventh. 

Trinity University would make one final push in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs with two outs in the inning while putting the game-tying run on first before seeing the game end on a groundout to third base. 

Ashley Burdine picked up her second consecutive win after throwing the final four innings in relief, allowing four four runs on eight hits while recording one strikeout. Starting pitcher Amber Fillbrandt tossed the first three innings of the contest, allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits. 

Trombley and Mize would lead the 14-hit effort by LETU, collecting three hits each and combining to score five of LeTourneau's 10 runs. Trombley also drove in a total of four runs while Bailey Woodard would collect two hits, two RBI's and two runs scored. 

Game Two:
Facing an 8-0 deficit after one and a half innings of play would prove to be too big to overcome for the YellowJackets in game two, as the Tigers would jump out to a 2-0 lead after one and score six runs in the second to open up an 8-0 lead before LETU recorded their first hit of the game. 

Trinity's two runs in the top of the first would come on just one hit, taking advantage of a hti batter and stolen base with the one hit coming as an RBI double to score the first run of the game. Bigger problems in the second inning would end up being the undoing of the YellowJackets, committing two errors while issuing two walks and another hit batter to allow the Tigers to score six runs on five total hits. 

Three of LETU's four hits in the game would come in the bottom of the second, with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning putting runners on first and second before a strikeout and passed ball moved runners to second and third with one out. A Josie Mexquitic single to right field would score Shelby Barrick to the Tiger lead to 8-1, but an inning-ending double play would end the YellowJacket threat. 

Both teams would settle in from that point forward, as a combined six hits would be all that would be had in the final five innings of play and with three of the five hits coming in the seventh inning. The only other run of the game would come in the top of the seventh as a leadoff single for Trinity would come around to score on an RBI double to center field. 

Freshman Madison Whitfield took her first career pitching decision, falling to 0-1 after pitching 1.2 innings and allowing eight runs on four hits and walking three of the 14 batters she faced. Fillbrandt would respond from her shaky start in game one by limiting Trinity to just one run on seven hits in the final 5.1 innings of relief in game two. 

An opportunity to improve their mark in the American Southwest Conference standings is next in line for LETU, beginning Friday at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas.