SEGUIN, TEXAS- Holding number 23 nationally-ranked Transylvania University to just one run in a 5-1 game one victory, the LeTourneau University softball team would be unable to complete a doubleheader sweep by falling 5-2 in the night cap of a neutral-site doubleheader at Ed Kruse Stadium on the campus of Texas Lutheran University on Sunday, March 10th.

The split moves the YellowJackets to 11-7 overall as they handed the 3-1 overall Pioneers their first loss of the season.

Game one:
The Pioneers struck early after a leadoff double led to a sacrifice fly, but the YellowJacket defense held off any further damage in the opening inning. The LETU offense answered quickly scoring a single run in the bottom of the first as Katelyn Trombley scored Ethel Warren to tie things up at 1-1 and would take the lead on a Taylor Nichols RBI single to score Ashley Crawford.

With LeTourneau holding a 2-1 lead, Kiley Banks led off the bottom half of the third by reaching base on a hit-by-pitch before Crawford brought her around on an RBI single to right field. Freshman Kimmy Baker followed Crawford's lead, recording her first career collegiate hit with a two-RBI triple which scored Nichols and Amber Fillbrandt to put LETU up 5-1.

Transylvania threatened in the final frame, putting two runners aboard before failing to bring any across as the LeTourneau defense would allow just seven base runners in the game.

Bailey Richey earned the win in the circle for LETU, tossing a complete game and allowing just five hits and one earned run through seven innings of work. Trombley and Nichols led the YellowJackets with two hits each, while four YellowJackets (Banks, Crawford, Warren, and Silver Montgomery) stole one base each.

Game two:
Transylvania was first to get on the board in the second game bringing in a run in the top of the second off a squeeze bunt with one out. Adding to their total again in the third, the Pioneers would score two more runs off two hits to go up 3-0 and take their largest lead of the day.

LETU chipped away at the lead in the bottom half of the third when Brianna Diaz took advantage of a throw down to second base and stole home, pulling the YellowJackets within two. Miranda Price would get LETU within a single run at 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI groundout to score Warren and put pressure on Transylvania heading to the final innings of the game.

The Pioneers would respond with two runs in the top of the sixth by taking advantage of an LETU error, single and a pair of walks to go up 5-2.
LETU posed a threat in the bottom half of the inning but would strand two base runners and failed to overcome their offensive woes in the final frame as the Pioneers would hold on to split the non-conference twin bill.
 
LeTourneau's six hits in the game would come from six different YellowJackets with Diaz and Warren each collecting an extra-base hit. LETU's lone RBI would come from Price while Diaz and Trombley each drew a free pass.
 
The YellowJackets will return to American Southwest Conference action at home with a 4 p.m. doubleheader against Belhaven University on Friday, March 15th. The Blazers will enter the three-game series with a 6-10 overall record and 4-8 conference standing.