AUSTIN, Texas –
Bailey Tisdale turned in a dominant performance in the circle, leading the Concordia Texas softball team to a victory in game one, and the Tornados split the series-opening doubleheader on Friday.
Tisdale picked up the win with her fifth career complete-game shutout, allowing only two hits and striking out seven along the way.
Ellie Congalton had a stellar day at the plate. The sophomore picked up three hits and four RBIs, driving in two of the Tornados' three runs in the game one win.
In the opening game, Concordia Texas scored all three runs in the fourth inning and followed Tisdale to the finish line, earning a 3-0 victory.
Megan Hooper drove in the first run of the game, scoring
Myranda Billman on an RBI single, and Congalton belted a double to bring in Hooper and
Emily Schmuck, giving the Tornados a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Tisdale dominated throughout the game and ended the final inning by retiring the side in order, sealing the 3-0 win.
In the nightcap, the two teams traded leads, but a four-run fifth inning from LeTourneau proved to be the difference. Ultimately, the Tornados fell 7-6.
Congalton picked up two more RBIs in the game, and
Erica Riley went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
In the first inning, a two-run inside-the-park homerun gave LETU an early 2-0 lead.
In the second inning,
Ashley Hallmark scored the first run CTX run. After reaching on an error, she stole her way around the bases and eventually drew an errant throw to third, coming home to score. Heading into the third inning, the Tornados trailed 2-1.
Cristina Ayala and
Caylee Spangle picked up back-to-back hits in the bottom of the third, setting the table for Riley's two-RBI double and giving the Tornados a 3-2 lead.
LeTourneau answered in the following frame, bringing home a run on a sacrifice fly and evening the score at 3-3.
The Tornados provided a sacrifice fly of their own in the bottom half of the fourth as Kaeyln Cash drove a ball to deep left field, scoring Hooper and putting CTX in the lead at 4-3.
In the top of the fifth, the Yellow Jackets pushed four runs across on three hits, breaking open the game and taking a 7-4 lead.
In the bottom half of the fifth, the Tornados proved they were not done, plating two runs and bringing the score within one run. Riley and Hallmark put together back-to-back base knocks, and Congalton brought them both home with a two-RBI single. Heading into the sixth inning, CTX cut the advantage to 7-6.
The Tornados were unable to complete the comeback in the final two innings, coming up empty in both trips to the plate and falling 7-6 in the end.
Concordia Texas will return to Tornado Softball Field for the series finale on Saturday, squaring off with LeTourneau for the rubber match at 12 p.m.
