AUSTIN, Texas- After two postponements and a change in location, the LeTourneau University softball team was handed their first American Southwest Conference loss of the season before bouncing back to split a doubleheader with Concordia Texas on Sunday, February 24th.  

The split brings the YellowJackets to 6-3 on the season and 4-1 in conference action while the Tornados move to 5-6 overall and 2-3 in ASC play.

"We fought hard in both games" said head coach Stan Wells in a post-game interview. "We had a rough start to game one as we made two crucial errors and walked too many people, but we didn't give up and lost a heartbreaker." "Game two we pitched much better and had timely hitting to cruise to a 7-3 victory."

Game one:
The Tornados would come out swinging putting up one run off one hit in the opening inning. CTX continued to shine offensively in the second as they put up six runs on two hits with the help of two YellowJacket errors. Samantha Akers would take things over in the circle for the YellowJackets as she worked herself out of a bases loaded jam to limit the damage as LETU would face a 7-0 hole heading to the bottom of the second.

LeTourneau would be held scoreless until a Hana Bonner three-run home run scored Katelynn Trombley and Haydn Parker to cut the Tornado lead to 7-3. LeTourneau would carry their offensive momentum into the fifth as back-to-back walks set the table for a Macey Mize RBI single to center field. Parker would then follow with a double to the wall scoring Mize and Kennedi Dillow to pull the YellowJackets within one at 7-6. Bonner would cap off the rally for the YellowJackets with a single to left scoring Kiley Banks to tie the game at seven all.

The Tornados responded quickly by bringing in an eighth run in the top of the sixth off a bunt squeeze play to regain their lead at 8-7 and would tack on some insurance in the final inning after loading the bases and drawing a walk to go up 9-7. Mize would strike again for the YellowJackets in the bottom of the seventh as she hit a solo shot beyond the left center wall to make it 9-8. The home run by Mize would prove to be the final run scored in the game as three of the next four LETU hitters would be retired which resulted in a CTX victory. 

Akers took the loss in the circle for LETU, moving her season record to 3-2. The YellowJackets out-hit the Tornados, recording nine hits and two homeruns. Bonner led the way with three hits while Mize and Parker followed with two. CTX finished with eight hits and would use aggressive base running to their advantage as they stole three bases against the LETU defense.

Game two:
Concordia would look to carry their offensive success into game two by getting on the board with a single run in the top of the first. LeTourneau would be quick to respond as Mize connected on her second home run of the day to score Dillow and give the YellowJackets their first lead of the day.

The back-and-forth continued as CTX came up with another run in the top of the second to tie it up at two each. Banks, Dillow and Ethel Warren would get things started for the YellowJacket offense in the bottom of the second as they would load the bases off a single and a pair of walks. Mize would also watch four balls go by to drive in her third run of the game before a Bonner fly ball to second base would be mishandled, allowing the YellowJackets to bring in three runs and stretch the lead to 6-2.

Freshman Bailey Richey would set the tone for the remainder of the game, sitting down three batters in the top of the third, while Warren would tack on one more in the bottom half of the inning to make it 7-2. It would be a defensive battle until the sixth when the Tornado offense would produce one run off three hits, but nothing would go for CTX in the final inning of play as the YellowJackets would seal the deal and take game two by a 7-3 margin.

Richey tossed her first complete game of her collegiate career, giving up eight hits while striking out 11 Tornado hitters. Warren and Walton would each have a team-high two hits while Mize drove in a team best, three RBI.

The YellowJackets and Tornados will battle one more time to conclude their three-game series with a 2 p.m. matchup set for tomorrow afternoon in Austin.