BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar erased a 4-3 deficit midway to take game one, 9-5, then scored seven runs in the bottom of the first to win game two, 9-2, as the Lady Cardinals swept a conference doubleheader from HBU softball Saturday afternoon from Ford Field.
Melissa Herman went 4-for-7 with an RBI in the doubleheader for HBU (11-20 overall, 7-8 SLC). Lauren Gambone was the big hitter for Lamar (15-15 overall, 10-4 SLC) in game one, while Beverly Corry had a grand slam in game two.
Herman,
Shay Orsak, and
Kirsten Schwirtlich each had two hits in game one for the Huskies, while Herman, K. Schwirtlich,
Lauren Schwirtlich,
Victoria Granchelli, and
Michaela Granchelli had an RBI apiece.
Kendall Stiefel (3-8) suffered the loss in the circle, as she allowed five hits, seven runs (five earned), and three walks with four strikeouts in 3.1 innings.
Shannon O'Connor pitched the final 2.2 innings and gave up two hits, two runs (one earned), and one walk with one strikeout.
Lauren Gambone went 2-for-2 with two home runs and three RBI for Lamar. Stephanie Meeuwsen went 1-for-4 with a pair of RBI.
Shannon Millman started in the circle and got the no-decision, as she allowed six hits, four runs, and one walk in 3.1 innings. Lauren Dannelley (2-0) earned the win in relief, as she gave up three hits, one run, and two walks with six strikeouts in 3.2 innings.
HBU took a 2-0 lead after the first inning, as Herman's RBI single scored L. Schwirtlich and V. Granchelli's RBI single plated K. Schwirtlich.
Lamar took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second, as Gambone's two-run homer tied the game, then Jenna Holland hit a solo home run to give the Lady Cardinals the lead. The Huskies tied the game in the top of the third on L. Schwirtlich's lead-off homer to right.
After HBU took a 4-3 lead on an RBI single by M. Granchelli in the top of the fourth, Lamar answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 7-4 lead.
The Lady Cardinals added single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to lead 9-4. The Huskies got one of the runs back in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by K. Schwirtlich that scored Orsak.
L. Schwirtlich led HBU in game two with three hits, as she and
Alyssa Burnett each had an RBI. Herman and
Cecilia Bauer had two hits apiece.
O'Connor (2-6) started and lasted just one-third of an inning, as she allowed five hits and seven runs (five earned).
Emily Mueller relieved O'Connor and gave up two hits, two runs, and three walks with three strikeouts in 2.2 innings. Stiefel pitched the final 3.0 innings and allowed two walks and struck out two.
Corry went 1-for-3 with four RBI, while Candyce Carter went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Tina Schulz (7-8) went the distance in the circle, as she allowed 10 hits and two runs.
After HBU went down in order to start game two, Lamar started the bottom of the first loading the bases with nobody out for Corry, who hit a grand slam to right-center field. An RBI double by Holland brought home Schulz to make the score 5-0 and put runners at second and third with just one out. With Mueller now in the circle, the Lady Cardinals scored two more runs – both unearned – before Mueller got Carter out on strikes to end the inning.
Lamar scored two runs in the bottom of the third to lead HBU, 9-0. The Huskies got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Burnett hit an RBI double that scored V. Granchelli, then L. Schwirtlich's RBI single plated Burnett.
HBU had a chance to do some damage in the top of the sixth, with Burnett at the plate and the bases loaded with two out, but the Lady Cardinals got out of the inning on a fielder's choice.
HBU concludes its five-game road trip with a doubleheader at Prairie View A&M next Wednesday, April 9 at 2 pm.
