LONGVIEW, Texas – LETU softball fell in a pair of games Tuesday against No. 8 nationally ranked East Texas Baptist, 5-4, 2-0.
In game one, ETBU got on board first, tallying a score in the top of the opening inning.
After holding the No. 8 Tigers scoreless three consecutive innings, the YellowJackets knotted the game up at one all when
Alysa Torres flied out to right field to send
Kylie Grisham home for an RBI.
A crucial sixth inning that featured a couple of Jacket errors, found ETBU tallying three unearned runs to take a 4-1 lead moving into the seventh inning.
After another run added in the top half of the seventh inning by the Tigers, LETU pushed for a comeback.
Callie Poore started things off as she doubled to left field.
Alexa Neilon scored Poore after she tripled to right field for an RBI.
Kenna Hendry stepped to the plate for an RBI after sending Neilon in for a run, Jackets trailed 5-3. With two outs in the decisive inning,
Laney Taylor singled up the middle for an RBI to put LETU down one run, but an easy ground out to the pitcher shut the door on the YellowJacket comeback.
LETU totaled seven hits and left five stranded, while ETBU had 11 hits and left nine.
Poore led the Jackets with two hits, while
Kiley Banks, Grisham, and
Lexi Hutchins tallied one hit.
Bailey Richey took the loss in the circle, pitching 5.2 innings.
Game two was a defensive battle with only two runs scored in the contest. LETU kept the Tigers in check for the first two innings before tallying an unearned run in the top of the third, taking a 1-0 lead.
After three scoreless innings, ETBU struck again, putting up a run in the top of the seventh to add some cushion. LETU couldn't shake the defensive hold of the Tigers, going three batters for three outs to end game two.
Preslie Turney,
Mickenzie Murry, Poore, and Neilon each notched one hit in game two.
Hailee Leger fell in the circle, going the distance with two strikeouts.
The YellowJackets conclude its three-game series against ETBU Wednesday at 6 p.m. back at the LETU Softball Field.
