LONGVIEW, Texas – LETU softball took down Ozarks Friday in a pair of games, 4-0, 3-2, to begin the final series of the regular season.
After the two wins, the YellowJackets are in position to make the American Southwest Conference Championship postseason tournament. LETU concludes its series against Ozarks Saturday at 12 p.m. for senior day. With a win in tomorrow's contest or a loss for Concordia in its matchup against McMurry, the Jackets secure a spot in the ASC tournament, beginning May 5.
In game one, LETU kicked things off early, tallying a run in four of its six innings at bat.
The YellowJackets took advantage of a fielding error by the Eagles to tally its first run at the bottom of the opening inning.
LETU took a 2-0 lead heading into the third when
Madelyn Tannery singled through the right side, sending
Emilee Anderson across home plate to collect an RBI. Tannery struck again in the bottom of the fourth when she tallied another RBI, advancing the quick
Macy Clevenger in for a run.
Graci Hart sealed the deal for the YellowJackets in the bottom of the sixth after she scored on an Ozark throwing error.
Anderson led the Jackets at the plate, going 4-4 to tie her career-high that she recorded earlier this season vs. Sul Ross.
Preslie Turney and
Jade Merrell also added one hit apiece.
Bailey Richey was impeccable in the circle, going the distance with a season-high eight strikeouts with five being looking. Richey notched her third shutout of the season.
After two scoreless innings, the Eagles struck first in game two at the top of the third for one run.
LETU bounced back quickly with a run of its own at the bottom of the fourth.
Alysa Torres accounted for the one run when she singled through the left side to move
Kylie Grisham in for the score.
Ozarks tallied another run in the top half of the sixth inning after a sacrifice fly put the Eagles ahead, 2-1.
The YellowJackets didn't wait long to respond, marking two scores in the bottom half of the inning. Facing two outs early in the inning, Grisham stepped in the batter's box poised, delivering a single up the middle to land her on first. After a Grisham stolen base to second, the reliable Torres doubled down the left field line to send Grisham in for a run. Head coach
Stan Wells called on the speedster Hart to round the bases in place of Torres.
Lexi Hutchins rattled off what was the game winning run when she singled to center field, advancing Hart in for the go ahead score. LETU led 3-2 going into the final inning.
The Jackets shut the door immediately on the Eagles in the decisive inning, tallying three outs in four batters to claim the doubleheader sweep.
Grisham and Torres each had two hits in game two to lead the Jackets, while Hutchins and Clevenger tallied one apiece. Leger took the win in the circle, working all seven innings.
