Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
Longview, Texas – LeTourneau softball downed Sul Ross in a pair of games Sunday afternoon, 8-1, 13-5, in its home opener.
The YellowJackets improve to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in American Southwest Conference play. The Lobos fell to 6-6, 3-5 ASC.
After two and a half scoreless innings, LETU drew first blood in the bottom of the third when
Alysa Torres doubled through the left side for a three run RBI to give the Jackets a 3-0 lead heading into the fourth.
Stingy defense kept Sul Ross off the board until the top of the fifth inning when SRSU's Samantha Chavez connected on a hit to right field for an RBI, attempting to shrink the LETU advantage. LeTourneau's pitcher
Hailee Leger cut the Lobo attempt short, capturing the third out after slinging a mean fast ball to leave the batter swinging.
Back-to-back singles and stolen bases from
Emilee Anderson and
Kylie Grisham put the Jackets in scoring position with
Callie Poore at the plate. Poore cranked a double to right field to send Anderson and Grisham home for two scores. Torres capped off the inning with a double through the right side, allowing Poore to cross home plate to extend the LETU lead to five, 6-1.
Grisham sealed the deal in the bottom of the sixth after she sent one over wall to tack on two more. The YellowJackets blanked Sul Ross in the top of the seventh to capture game 1. Leger took the win for LETU, while SRSU's Jodie Vaughn took the loss.
The Jackets came out stinging in the first inning of game 2, holding the Lobos scoreless and collecting four runs in the bottom half. Grisham picked up where she left off in game 1, putting one over the gate for the first run.
Madelyn Tannery singled to left center to push Torres and Poore in for two runs.
Mickenzie Murry had a sacrifice hit for an RBI, sending
Alexa Neilon home.
Sul Ross responded with a four run inning of its own in the top of the second to even the contest. After holding the Jackets to zero runs in the bottom of the inning, the Lobos tallied one run in the top of the third to take a 5-4 lead.
The YellowJackets responded quickly when Murry singled through the left side, advancing Neilon and Torres for a two RBIs, snatching the lead back. LETU led 6-5 headed into the fourth.
The LeTourneau defense buckled down in the fourth and fifth innings, leaving the Lobos scoreless in both. LETU had four runs in the bottom of the fourth to push the Jacket lead to five. Grisham sent a double to right field to send
Kenna Hendry home. Poore smashed one over the gate for a two run RBI, putting the run rule in effect, granting LETU the doubleheader sweep.
Torres and Poore led LETU with five RBIs apiece on the day, going 5-7 and 3-5 from the plate, respectively. Grisham had four RBIs, going 6-of-8. Anderson had four hits on day. Tannery and Murry each had three RBIs in the victories.
Jade Merrell got the win in the second game with four strikeouts.
The YellowJacket wrap up the series against Sul Ross Monday at 11 a.m. at the LETU Softball Field.
