TEXAS-TYLER BOX SCORE

LOUISIANA COLLEGE BOX SCORE

ASC TOURNAMENT PHOTO GALLERY

Farmers Branch, Texas – Melissa Cantu recorded two hits and Jessica Parish drove in a run, but the Concordia University Texas softball team dropped both of its games at the American Southwest Conference Tournament on Thursday, Apr. 25 at Oran Good Park. The Tornados, who recorded 25 victories this spring, concluded one of the program's best seasons in school history after falling to top-ranked Texas-Tyler, 6-0, and Louisiana College by a 3-1 decision.

After Louisiana College (25-14) got on the board first by taking advantage of a throwing error in the bottom of the second, Concordia threatened to answer right back in the top of the third of an elimination game for both teams later in the day. Cantu hit a one-out single to the shortstop and advanced to second one play later on a dropped fly that was hit by Christina Smith. Pitcher Leslie Eastham, however, got out of trouble by forcing the next batter to fly out to right center. The Wildcats then tacked on a pair of insurance tallies in the bottom of the fourth to pull away by getting a single from Laura Gulota-Parrish that scored Courtney Ivey and Jessica Taylor. 

Despite trailing by three runs, Concordia made an effort to rally in the late innings. Katie Carrizales and Parish hit back-to-back doubles to close the gap to 3-1 in the sixth before Eastham retired the next three hitters. The Tornados made another valiant effort in the bottom of the seventh by placing the tying run at first and the go-ahead run at the plate after getting singles from Kat Moreno and Cantu, but Eastham kept the offense in check the rest of the way to allow the Wildcats to escape with the win.

Eastham of Louisiana College improved her ledger to 11-6 after yielding seven hits and one run, which was earned, while fanning four and not issuing a walk. Concordia's Moreno suffered the loss and ended the spring with a 13-8 record by surrendering three runs, including two earned, and seven hits. She also posted five strikeouts.

Earlier in the day, Texas-Tyler (39-2) was able to break a scoreless deadlock and seize the momentum by getting a grand slam from Joey Cronin with two outs in the fourth after leading the bases loaded in the second frame. Ashley Endsley, who recorded the first hit of the game to start the inning, scored on the play along with Karley Geiger, Lauren Robenalt and Kaitlin Munoz.

While Kelsie Batten remained in control, the Patriots were able to add two more insurance runs in the fifth. Brittney Batten and Geiger provided the clutch hits in the frame to seal the final outcome.

Kelsie Batten picked up the victory by throwing a perfect game for Texas-Tyler, which is tied for first in country with Montclair State in the latest poll released by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. She improved her record to 19-1 and registered seven strikeouts. Concordia's Moreno, who did not allow a hit through the first three innings, suffered the loss and dropped to 13-7 at the time. She was responsible for six runs, which were all earned, and also gave up five hits while recording one strikeout and issuing five walks over four frames of work.

Concordia (25-15), which was making its fifth ASC Tournament appearance overall and third in the last four years, is slated to return 13 letterwinners, four starters and three of its pitchers next year.

Notes: Concordia completed its sixth straight season with a .500 winning percentage or better and fell one win shy of matching the school record for victories, finishing with 25 this spring … Kat Moreno, who is among five seniors, ended her four-year career as one of the most decorated pitchers the program has ever produced … She holds school records for career strikeouts and shutouts with 323 and 12, respectively, and also set a single-season program mark by fanning 115 opposing hitters this spring … Four-year letterwinners Erin Duhon and Meghan Ferrell also ended their careers ranked on several career lists … Duhon finished fifth in hits (133), 10th in runs scored (62) and seventh in runs batted in (63), while Ferrell ended the day ninth in hits (108), fifth in runs batted in and fifth in walks (44) … Christina Smith, a two-year letterwinner, set a single-season school record by recording four triples this spring.
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Concordia                                   000     000    0     0     0     0
#1 Texas-Tyler (39-2)               000     420     x     6     7     0
     Concordia: Kat Moreno, Sydney Coffey (5), Noey Ruiz (6) and Shannon Lanford.
     Texas-Tyler: Kelsie Batten and Brittney Batten.

Concordia (25-15)                    000     001    0     1     7     1
Louisiana College (25-14)     010     200     x     3     7     2
     Concordia: Kat Moreno and Shannon Lanford.
     Louisiana College: Leslie Eastham and Courtney Ivey.