NACOGDOCHES – The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks swept both ends of the doubleheader on Tuesday at the SFA Softball Field via scores of 6-3 and 9-1 in five innings over the East Texas A&M University softball team.
SFA increased its winning streak to six, improving to 22-19 on the season and 11-6 in Southland Conference play, while the Lions fall to 9-31 overall and 5-12 in conference play, remaining in eighth place.
Game One: SFA 6, EAST TEXAS A&M 3
With two outs in the bottom of the first, Ellie Vance singled to the shortstop and Kyi'Marri Ester followed with a base hit to right as Vance advanced to third. The Lumberjacks executed a double steal with Vance coming around to score.
In the top of the third,
Charli Anger (Lubbock – Cooper) reached on a fielding error to lead off the inning and she advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Nevaeh Terrell (Pennsauken, N.J.).
Isabella Arzola (Chino, Calif.) reached on another infield fielding error with Anger advancing to third.
After a flyout, Arzola stole second and
Stephanie Tapia (Yuma, Ariz.) plated Anger with a single to left as SFA tagged out Arzola at the plate to end the inning.
Emmie Miehe (Cameron Park, Calif.) drew a walk with an out in the fourth and both
Maddie Cason (Honey Grove) and
Emma Rodrigues (Little Elm – John Paul II) followed with a pair of base hits to load the bases. Anger drove in Miehe with a single up the middle and Terrell plated Cason with a single through the left side.
SFA used a double play to end the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Lilly Bean drew a walk with an out and was pinch run for by Sammy Hagman. Chloe Reneau singled up the middle as Hagman advanced to second and then Jamie Varga plated both runners with a triple to center.
In the fifth, Hope Lusk and Vance singled up the middle and Ester singled to third to load the bases with no outs. Lance scored on a single by Adelyn Becerra and Vance scored on a wild pitch for Lumberjacks' runs in the inning.
Rodrigues went 2 for 3 for the Lions at the plate, while Vance went 3 for 4 and Ester went 2 for 4.
Julia Sanchez (The Kinkaid School) allowed four earned runs in 3.1 innings to get the loss, while Alexis Telford collected the complete-game win, being charged with two earned runs.
Game Two: SFA 9, EAST TEXAS A&M 1 (Five Innings)
On the first pitch of the game,
Tatum Wright (Frisco – Centennial) drilled a home run to right center, her ninth of the season.
TATUM WRIGHT HOME RUN HIGHLIGHT
Mikaleah Burkland singled up the middle to lead off the bottom of the first, Lusk reached on an error, and Vance drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Ester reached on a fielder's choice as the Lions tagged out Burkland at home, but Lusk came around to score as East Texas A&M attempted a double play at first as Ester beat out the throw.
Becerra followed with a three-run home run to center, giving the Lumberjacks a 4-1 lead after one. Kaylee Paul singled to left and came around to score on a double to left center by Burkland in the second.
Neither team scored a run in the third and the fourth. The Lions left two on base in the fifth, while Becerra singled through the left side to lead off the bottom of the fifth.
Kelby Robbins doubled down the left field line as Becerra scored, while Reneau reached on a throwing error as Robbins came around to score. Reneau scored on a triple by Varga, who scored on a single from Paul.
Darby Hickey (Plano Senior) came in as a pinch hitter and went 2 for 2 for the Lions. Becerra and Paul went 3 for 3 in the game for the Lumberjacks.
Maddie Muller (Frisco – Centennial) registered just one out and surrendered three earned runs to get the loss, while Brooke Gainous got the complete-game win, allowing just the home run on the first pitch to Wright.
UP NEXT
The Lions and the Lumberjacks close out the series at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
-ETAMU-
