ABILENE, Texas – The Concordia Texas softball team would snap their three-game skid with a commanding pitching performance and an offensive explosion at the plate, sweeping McMurry in a doubleheader on Friday.
Heather Casiano was dominating in the circle for the Tornados, tossing her first career complete game shutout as the team took the first game of the night 4-0.
It was a pitcher's duel through the first five frames as the teams had a combined four hits. Casiano was dealing for CTX, as she did not allow a hit until the third inning.
In the sixth, the Tornados would get on the board, scoring four runs on four hits and a War Hawks error.
Taylor Smith, who pitch ran for
Haley Dennett after her leadoff double, would come around to score on
Anissa Garcia's fielder's choice to give CTX the lead.
One out later,
Mycahla Howard would double the lead with her single to center.
Summer Harper and
Miranda Mueller would continue the two-out scoring with a double and then a single to push the lead to 4-0 after six frames.
In the seventh, McMurry would threaten, putting two runners on with two away. Casiano would close the door on the War Hawks though, inducing fly out to right to secure the win.
In game two of the night, the Tornados' bats would come alive, scoring 14 runs on 20 hits in a rout of McMurry, winning it 14-4 by run-rule. It is most hits by the team since recording 22 hits in a win over Louisiana College in 2011.
Five batters had at least three hits for the game, including Dennett,
Payton Walker, Garcia and
Olivia Kaase, who all drove in a pair of runs. Howard, meanwhile, had a four-hit game, scoring once and driving in a run.
Concordia Texas would strike first with a pair of runs in third inning, but the War Hawks would counter with four runs in the bottom half of the frame to lead 4-2 after three.
The Tornados would respond with back-to-back six-run outbursts in the fifth and sixth innings and go up 14-4.
Keeley Etchinson, who entered the circle in the third, was untouchable, tossing 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and walking one to pick up her second win of the season.
Concordia Texas will go for the series sweep on Saturday, facing McMurry at 12 p.m. in Abilene, Texas.
