PINEVILLE, La. –
Ashley Hallmark had three hits and five total stolen bases, while
Heather Casiano had the clutch strikeout as the Concordia Texas softball team split a doubleheader against Louisiana College on Friday to open its three-game conference series.
In the first game, the Tornados racked up nine hits, but were only able to score two runs, stranding a pair of runners in their final at-bat and fell to the Wildcats 3-2.
Louisiana College did all their damage in the first two innings, scratching across a run in the first and two more in the second to take a 3-0 lead.
Concordia Texas responded in the third as Brianna Heredia raced home and scored on
Anissa Garcia's sac fly to center to make it 3-1.
In the fifth, the Tornados cut the deficit in half as Hallmark reached on an error. After stealing second, she came home to score on a Wildcats' throwing error on
Katie Hoke's infield single.
Hallmark, who enter the day leading the nation in stolen bases with 14 through nine games, swiped four more bags in the first game.
In their final at-bat, CTX threatened with a leadoff walk to Hallmark followed by a Garcia single. The Tornados were unable to capitalize though as the next three batters were retired, ending the game 3-2.
In the second game of the night, CTX scored a pair of insurance runs in the seventh and held off a late LC comeback, winning their first conference game of the season 5-4.
The Tornados opened the scoring in the first inning as Hallmark led off with a single and reached second on a
Maria Arroyo sac bunt. Garcia followed with an RBI single to right to make it 1-0.
The Wildcats scratched across a run in the third to tie it up at 1-1, but CTX was quick to respond with a pair of runs in the fourth on back-to-back sac bunts, scoring Hoke and
Zoie Burton.
Taylor Gruell, meanwhile pitched into the sixth inning for the Tornados, allowing only two runs, one earned, and struck out seven LC hitters on the night to pick up her third win of the season.
Concordia Texas tacked on two more runs in the seventh after loading the bases.
Kirstie Soto was hit-by-a-pitch, scoring
Danielle Diaz, followed by
Sarah Brooks, who worked a walk, bringing home
Ashley Soto to make it 5-1.
Louisiana College did not go down without a fight though, opening the bottom half of the inning with back-to-back walks.
Casiano entered the circle in relief of
Simone Langland and recorded two quick outs, but allowed with a walk to load the bases. The Wildcats took advantage of a Tornados' error to score two runs and cut the lead to 5-4. With runners at first and second, Casiano ended the game with a strikeout for her first save of the season and securing the win for CTX.
Hallmark finished 2-for-4 at the plate with another stolen base, giving her 19 for the season, five away from breaking the school's single-season stolen base record set by Jodi Hierholzer back in 2009.
Ashley Soto and Hoke each had a hit and a run scored in the win as well.
The Tornados will go for the series win on Saturday, facing Louisiana College in the rubber game at 11 a.m. in Pineville, La.
