'Roo Softball Splits Season Opening Doubleheader
The Austin College softball team split its season opening doubleheader against Alverno College on Thursday night, falling 7-2 in extra innings in game one before shutting out the Inferno 6-0 in game two.
The Austin College softball team split its season opening doubleheader against Alverno College on Thursday night, falling 7-2 in extra innings in game one before shutting out the Inferno 6-0 in game two. The 'Roos are now 1-1 this season.
In game one, Alverno jumped on top early with an RBI double from Stef Wilmore in the top of the first, but in the bottom of the second Briana Hernandez gave the 'Roos a 2-1 lead when she launched a home run to left in her first collegiate at bat. That's how the score would remain until the fifth, when Alverno plated another run to square things up on an RBI double from Lauren Colette.
That's how things would stand after seven, and after one scoreless extra frame the Inferno exploded for five runs in the top of the ninth to make it a 7-2 game and the 'Roos were unable to get anything going in the bottom half of the inning.
Sam Matulis went the distance for the 'Roos, surrendering seven runs, six earned, on 15 hits with eight strikeouts and two walks. Rachel Ramos and Jessica Baker each had a pair of hits and Hernandez finished 1-for-4 with a homer and two RBI.
In game two, Sophia Hernandez turned in a gem in her first collegiate start, pitching a three hit, complete game shutout with seven strikeouts and just one walk. Hernandez took a no-hitter into the fourth in the game, and that's also the first inning either team would get on the scoreboard as the 'Roos jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom half of the inning.
The scoring got started when Taylor Steelman drew a walk with the bases loaded, and Amber Pemberton did the rest with a pinch hit double off the fence in left field to plate three more runs. All four runs game with two outs in the inning. Two more runs would cross the plate in the sixth as Ramos slapped an RBI single into right and came home to score from first on a double by Baker to make it a 6-0 game.
Baker, Briana Hernandez, and Chelsea Delaney each had two hits in the game and Jenny Dowsey scored a pair of runs and the 'Roos totaled 10 hits as a team.
Austin College is back in action tomorrow when travel to Longview to play a doubleheader at LeTourneau starting at 4:00 p.m.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
About Austin College
Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope's influential book Colleges that Change Lives.