HBU-Drake Box Score

HBU-UTA Box Score

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Houston Baptist softball team began the UTA Tournament with a thrilling, come-from-behind victory over Drake, 3-2 in nine innings, and concluded day one with a 6-4 victory against host UT-Arlington Friday evening at Allan Saxe Field.

Against Drake, the Bulldogs led 1-0 and 2-1, but twice the Huskies tied the game, sending the game into extras and finally squeaking past Drake in the ninth to get the win.

There was no scoring until the bottom of the second with a single Drake run. Pitcher Jordan Gronewold had a one-out walk, advanced to second on a Nicole Randel single, then scored on an RBI single by Lindsey Vande Wall.

The Huskies tied the game in the top of the fourth as Kate Maddock hit a one-out single and advanced to second following Melissa Herman being hit by a pitch. Callie Herrington singled down the left-field line, bringing home Maddock.

Drake would take a 2-1 lead the very next half-inning, as Vande Wall hit a one-out homer to right-center field.

HBU couldn't score until the top of the seventh. The rally started with a lead-off double by Holly Webb. She advanced to third on a Rebecca Rademacher single down the left-field line then scored the tying run on a single down the right-field line by Daniella Rodarte.

Using international tiebreaker rules, both teams had runners on third, but could not score, until the top of the ninth. With Webb placed at second, Mac Christensen bunted her over to third, then scored home as Rodarte beat out an infield grounder. The Bulldogs went down in order in the bottom of the ninth, as Sarah Shotton struck out the side.

Rodarte led HBU with three hits, going 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBI. Rademacher and Herrington each went 2-for-4, as Herrington had the other RBI.

Shotton had a very memorable HBU debut, going the distance and striking out 13 batters. She allowed nine hits and two earned runs.

Vande Wall went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored for Drake. Gronewald also went the distance for the Bulldogs, allowing 10 hits, two earned runs and two walks with five strikeouts.

In the nightcap, UTA scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first, but HBU erupted for six runs in the top of the third, as the Huskies batted around. Highlighting the inning was a three-run home run by Herman, the first of her collegiate career.

UTA chipped away at the lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the third and one in the fourth, but Beth Evans relieved Kendall Stiefel and shut down the Mavericks for 2.1 innings, allowing just two hits and striking out three, earning her first save. Stiefel allowed seven hits and two earned runs in 4.2 innings, walking one and striking out three.




Rodarte was the only Husky to have more than one hit, going 2-for-4 at the plate. Herman's lone hit in the game was a big one, resulting in three RBI.

Stephanie Gonzalez and Hillary Steed each went 2-for-4 for UTA, as Gonzalez and Samantha Kennedy each had one RBI.

Teri Lyles went the distance in the circle, allowing eight hits and five earned runs while striking out nine.

HBU (2-2) will play Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 11 am Saturday morning, then will await who it will play in the semifinals, which will be at either 3 or 5 pm. The consolation game will be on Sunday at 10 am, while the championship tilt will be Sunday at 12 pm.