GAME ONE BOX SCORE

GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Brownwood, Texas – Erin Duhon recorded three hits and went yard for the first time this season to lead the Concordia University Texas softball team to a 12-5 victory in the opening game of a doubleheader on Saturday, March 23 at Lady Jackets Field. The Yellow Jackets then won the nightcap by a 5-3 score to salvage the split.

Concordia came screaming out of the gates in the opener, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Jessica Parish and Meghan Ferrell each had an RBI double in the frame to give the Tornados all of the momentum in the early going.

Three innings later, Concordia added four more runs by taking full advantage of Yellow Jackets miscues on defense. A single by Melissa Cantu to left allowed Moreno and Ferrell to score and make it 5-0. Duhon and Parish each drove in a run later in the frame on a single and walk, respectively, to help give the Tornados an eight-run advantage before the Yellow Jackets could manage to get a hit.

Howard Payne (11-12, ASC 6-4), however, stormed back by pushing two runs across in the bottom of the fourth and another three in the fifth. Larisa Salazar was able to reach on an infield error, plating Tylene Middleton Middleton, and Pricilla Patino followed up with an RBI single on the next play to close the gap to six. One frame later, Katie Poerner went yard to create an 8-4 score and Caraway drew a walk with the bases loaded to make it a three-run game before reliever Sydney Coffey was eventually able to get out of the jam.

The Tornado offense then responded with four more runs in the late innings to seal the final outcome. Duhon capped the scoring with a two-run single down the right field line.

Moreno, who went 3.1 innings before surrendering her first hit, picked up the victory for Concordia and improved her ledger to 8-3 this season. She recorded three strikeouts, issued three walks and gave up four four hits and four runs which were all earned. Howard Payne's Haleigh Caraway, who entered the weekend undefeated, suffered her second straight loss after yielding six hits and five runs, including three earned, in just three innings of work. Her record fell to 6-2.

In the nightcap, Howard Payne got on the board in the bottom of the first by getting a two-run homer from Middleton. Katie Poerner, who singled earlier in the inning, also scored on the play. Cruddas then hit a solo shot over the fence to give the Yellow Jackets a 3-0 lead in the second frame.

Concordia started to come back and got on the board in the top of the third on a Duhon double, but the host school was able to shake it off and add another two tallies of its own in the bottom of the same frame to stay in control. Cruddas hit an RBI single to give the Yellow Jackets a 5-1 cushion.

Despite the slow start, the Tornados attempted to rally again and came within two in the top of the fifth. Duhon kept her bat red hot by blasting a two-run homer that made it 5-3, but Yellow Jacket hurler Baillie Trumble was able to keep the Concordia off the board the rest of the way.

Zalysa Perez was credited with the loss for Concordia and dropped her record to 4-2. She gave up three hits and three runs in two innings of work. Howard Payne's Trumble earned the win to improve her record to 5-6 after striking out two and surrendering three runs, including two earned, as well as nine hits.

Concordia (15-7, ASC 4-4) will host Texas Lutheran for a four-game series next week. The teams will play the first doubleheader on Thursday, March 28 at 2 p.m.
-agate-
Concordia                                            300     501     3   12     9     2
Howard Payne                                    000     230     0     5    10    5
     Concordia: Kat Moreno, Sydney Coffey (5) and Shannon Lanford.
     Howard Payne: Haleigh Caraway, Keeley Lowrance (4) and Pricilla Patino, Amanda Cruddas (5).

Concordia (15-7, ASC 4-4)               001     020     0    3     9     0
Howard Payne (11-12, ASC 6-4)     212     000     x     5     7     2
     Concordia: Zalysa Perez, Sydney Coffey (3), Kat Moreno (4) and Shannon Lanford.
     Howard Payne: Baillie Trumble and Amanda Cruddas.