LONGVIEW – For the last two weeks, the goal has been the same: get going early and leave no doubt.
LeTourneau University's softball team authored a second straight series victory after winning the first two games of a three-game set with Howard Payne Friday at LETU Softball Field, 9-1 and 4-3. The Jackets (8-3, 4-1 American Southwest Conference) won the opener in five innings.
"Our approach is really just to jump on them the first few innings, and get ahead, and just play our game as a team," LeTourneau's
Ethel Warren said after delivering the gamewinning RBI in the second game."We just kept fighting, and we were resilient, and just came out with the win."
Warren was 2-for-2 with two RBI in the second game. She singled to right in the bottom of the fifth to drive in
Emilee Anderson, who opened the inning with a double to left. Anderson went 2-for-4 in the nightcap.
LeTourneau took a 3-0 lead after two innings in the second game.
Kennedi Dillow drove in a run on an infield single, and
Madelyn Tannery drove in Warren on a fielder's choice in the first. Warren had a sacrifice fly to score
Ashley Crawford in the second.
Howard Payne (3-8, 0-5) tied the game in the third when the Yellow Jackets scored three runs on three runs and four hits to chase Tannery, who started the game in the circle. But
Ashley DeCock came on in relief, allowing two hits and a run over the final two and a third innings to earn the win.
Catcher
Maycie Walton threw out a runner in the sixth, and controlled DeCock in the final innings to prevent the tying run from scoring.
In the opener, LETU took a 3-0 lead on
Katelyn Trombley's two-run single in the first. Dillow and
Callie Poore each doubled home a run in the second, and
Hana Bonner belted a two-run homer before
Taylor Nichols doubled to left to break the game wide open.
Bailey Richey went five innings, allowing two hits and an unearned run, and struck out three without walking a batter to earn the win.
Every LeTourneau hitter in the lineup had a hit in the first game. Crawford had two hits, including a double. Poore was 1-for-3 with two RBI. Trombley went 1-for-2 with a walk and two RBI.
LETU will go for its first conference series sweep and third overall this season Saturday.
"We just need to play our game, start off strong, and I think we'll get it," Warren said.
