LONGVIEW, Texas - Hot bats would be the difference maker for the LeTourneau University softball team as they kicked off their 2019 campaign with a pair of victories against non-conference opponent Schreiner University at the LETU softball field on Saturday, February 9th.

Following the wins, the YellowJackets sit at a perfect 2-0 on the season while the Mountaineers drop to 2-6 on the year.

How It Happened (Game one):

• LETU freshman Bailey Richey would allow two runs in the top of the first before her defense would help end the threat and give the YellowJackets their first chance on offense.
• LeTourneau would answer in the bottom of the first when a sacrifice fly from Haydn Parker would bring in the first run of the year for the YellowJackets by scoring Kennedi Dillow.
• An inning later, Hana Bonner would knot the game at two with a solo homerun over the center field wall to lead off the bottom of the second.
• The YellowJackets would use four hits in the bottom of the third and the help of Parker's second RBI of the day to give them their first lead of the day at 3-2 to drive in Dillow for a second time in as many tries.
• Looking to add to their lead, LeTourneau would do just that in the fourth as they tacked on two more runs off a Mountaineer wild pitch and Parker RBI double.
• Center fielder Katelyn Trombley would threaten the Schreiner defense once again in the fifth as she launched a two-run homer to extend the LETU to 8-2 lead heading into the sixth as the YellowJackets would appear to be in full control of the game.
• Schreiner's bats would come alive in the sixth as they recorded four hits and would use a grand slam to cut the deficit to one as they trailed 8-7 heading into the bottom of the sixth.
• Following a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, LETU would be tasked with holding the Mountaineers scoreless in the top of the seventh but would fail to get the job done as SU knocked in two runs to reclaim the lead at 9-8 and force LETU to need a run in the bottom of the seventh.
• With their backs against the wall, LETU would draw a one-out bases loaded walk to tie the game after putting all three runners aboard following a leadoff flyout.
• A would-be walk-off single would be caught on a diving effort in left field which turned into a double play to send the game into extra-innings.
• Using the international tiebreaker rule, the YellowJackets would stand tall and hold the Mountaineers scoreless in the top of the eighth by cutting down the runner placed on second at home plate on a fielder's choice with one out.
• Ashley Crawford would seal the deal in the bottom of the eighth as she singled up the middle to score Trombley who would start the inning by being placed on second as part of the tiebreaker rule and secure the extra-innings win for the YellowJackets.

Key Stats:

• LeTourneau's defense would show signs of nerves in their opening game as they committed four errors in less than ideal weather conditions while Schreiner would only have two.
• Both teams would record 13 hits in eight innings of play while Dillow would walk away with a team-high three hits for the YellowJackets
• Samantha Akers would record her first win of the year after taking over for Richie in the fifth inning and throwing three innings of work while allowing two runs (zero earned) and striking out three.

 
How It Happened (Game 2):

• Game two would be a defensive battle from the start as the teams would see just five hits combined and zero runs through 2.5 innings of play.
• It wouldn't be until a two-out triple from Trombley that the YellowJackets would take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third where the score would stand until the bottom of the fifth.
• Parker would carry her hot bat into game two as she tacked on another RBI for the day, scoring Macey Mize from second base to make it 3-0.
• Adding to their total, the YellowJackets would wake up in the sixth as three consecutive hits to the right side of the field would being in three more runs for LETU to give them a comfortable 6-0 lead.
• SU wouldn't go down without a fight as they would load the bases in the top of the seventh to force an LETU pitching change. Akers would shut down the Mountaineer threat as she allowed just one run and allowed the YellowJackets to take a five-run victory.

Key Stats:

• Junior pitcher Leigh Luker would get the win for the YellowJackets as she allowed zero runs in six innings of work.
• Errors would haunt the Mountaineers as they recorded three while the LETU defense would manage to limit their miscues to just one.
• A trio of YellowJackets in Dillow, Mize, and Banks would each record a team-high two hits as they combined to collect six of LETU's ten hits.

What's Next?
LETU will look to continue their success as they travel to Abilene, Texas for their first American Southwest Conference series of the year against McMurry University on Friday, February 15th. the War Hawks will enter Friday's doubleheader with a 5-3 overall record while hoping to snap a three-game losing streak.