MARSHALL, Texas – Playing in a battle of the top two teams in the American Southwest Conference, the LeTourneau University softball team would be unable to overcome an early deficit in a 2-1 defeat before falling in the nightcap by a score of 6-2 to East Texas Baptist University at Taylor Field in Marshall, Texas on Friday, April 5th.
LETU is now 17-12 overall and 14-9 in the ASC while the number three nationally-ranked Tigers improve to 29-1 overall and 20-0 in conference action.
Game One:
A defensive battle throughout, the score would remain scoreless through two- and one-half innings of play until ETBU would score one run on one hit and two errors to grab a 1-0 lead. LeTourneau would look to respond in the top of the fourth by putting two of their first three base runners aboard but would be unable to capitalize on the opportunity as the Tigers would get out of the jam and maintain a 1-0 lead.
With the score remaining 1-0 in favor of East Texas Baptist going to the bottom of the sixth, ETBU would utilize a leadoff double and RBI single to double their lead to 2-0 as the YellowJackets would be held to just four base runners on two hits through six innings of action.
Two quick outs would put LeTourneau down to their final at-bat trailing by a 2-0 score when
Taylor Nichols would break through with a solo home run to left field to cut the Tiger lead in half. A full comeback would not be in the cards however as a strikeout would end the game with East Texas Baptist hanging on for the victory.
Tossing a complete game, freshman
Bailey Richey would drop her second game of the season to fall to 7-2 overall after allowing just two runs on five hits and striking out two on 98 pitches. At the plate, LETU would get extra-base hits from
Katelyn Trombley and Nichols with
Haydn Parker collecting the only other LeTourneau hit in the game.
Game Two:
Offenses wouldn't wait on either side to kick off game two as LETU would push across a run by
Macey Mize after a fielder's choice and stolen base would move the senior into scoring position for Parker to drive her home. ETBU would use the long ball in their half of the first after a leadoff walk to hit a two-run shot and take a 2-1 lead going to the second.
Trombley and
Ethel Warren would manage to combine for a run to lead off the top of the second as Trombley would hit a double and be followed by a Warren RBI single to knot things at 2-2. The Tigers would then manage to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the third with two runs on one hit and a pair of walks as both runs would come home to score on a one-out two-RBI single.
Following a one-two-three inning from LETU, East Texas Baptist would add two runs on their second home run of the contest as an error to start the inning would prove to be costly with both runs scoring as unearned.
LeTourneau would muster just two hits (one in the sixth and one in the seventh) in the final five innings of play as defense for the Tigers would come through and shut down the YellowJackets for the second straight game to hang on for the four-run victory.
LETU would split their six innings of action on the mound as
Leigh Luker (4-5) would throw the first two-plus innings of action and allow three runs on one hit while
Samantha Akers closed out the final four innings of action while allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits. Six of LeTourneau's seven hits would be collected by the two through seven hole hitters with pinch-hitter
Tori Hudson making the most of her opportunity with a double in her only at-bat of the game.
What's Next?
LeTourneau and ETBU will close out their three-game set with a single game tomorrow afternoon with first pitch slated for 12 p.m. Inclement weather is expected throughout the East Texas area tomorrow, which could force a change in the schedule to the game. A final decision will be made tomorrow morning regarding potential start times and will be adjusted accordingly. Any change will be announced on the LETU Athletics Twitter and Facebook pages which can be found here:
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