LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University's softball team picked up its first league series sweep, beating Howard Payne, 9-1, Saturday.

"It surprised me, I guess, that our offense has come forward the last three weeks as much as it has," LeTourneau coach Stan Wells said. "They come to the plate with a plan."

LeTourneau (9-3, 5-1 American Southwest Conference) scored four runs in the first inning, using Madelyn Tannery's two-run single through the left side to start the fireworks. Tannery and Katelyn Trombley both scored when Ashley Crawford reached base safely.

Ethel Warren singled home a run in the second to make it 5-0. Kennedi Dillow's sacrifice pop out drove in a run, and Tannery drove in two more with a single to right to make it 8-1. Crawford drove in a run to give LETU the eight-run lead.

Bailey Richey, who improved to 3-0, allowed one run on a solo homer to Olivia Rivera in the fourth. Richey gave up four hits and three walks, tossing 88 pitches in her second abbreviated five-inning run-rule victory of the weekend.

"She was dominant both days," Wells said. "The strike zone was a little different today, and had to adjust. She did a fantastic job of staying inside on their hands and just jamming them up. That was our plan, and she stuck to it."

Emilee Anderson had two hits and three stolen bases. Tannery was 3-for-3 with a double and four RBI. Tannery's three hits and four RBI are both season highs.
LETU had seven hits, leaving five on base. Howard Payne stranded eight runners.

"I felt we were more talented than Howard Payne," Wells said. "If we would have come out of here with less than three (wins), it would have been difficult for us to overcome, so we put an importance factor on that. But we never got above ourselves."

LeTourneau will compete in the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Tucson, Arizona, next weekend.

"It's an honor to get an invite to go play in that," Wells said. "We're headed there with confidence."