BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After a heartbreaking 4-3 extra-inning loss to tournament host, Samford, early this afternoon, the Huskies rebounded nicely to double up Alabama State, 6-3, Saturday as HBU went 3-1 at the Samford Tournament.
Nicole Shedd led HBU (6-8) by going 4-for-8 with a home run and five RBIs in the two games.
Shay Orsak also went 4-for-8 with a run scored.
Game one's loss to Samford snaped HBU's four-game winning streak. Shedd hit her first-collegiate home run, as she went 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Orsak led the Huskies with two hits, while
Victoria Granchelli had the team's other RBI.
Emily Mueller started in the circle and got a no-decision, as she allowed two hits, two runs, and six walks with one strikeout in 2.1 innings.
Laci Belovsky (3-3) tossed the final 6.1 innings and gave up three hits, two unearned runs, and one walk with two strikeouts.
Five different Bulldogs had one hit, as Samford (12-2) ran its winning streak to eight games. Four different players had an RBI. Rebecca Leonard started in the circle and got a no-decision, as she gave up five hits, two runs, and four walks with five strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Mollie Hanson (6-1) earned the win in relief, as she allowed one hit and one unearned run, while striking out three in 3.0 innings.
Samford drew first blood with a two-run bottom of the second, as Abby Sweeney hit a one-out homer to left-center to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Megan Dowdy's RBI single brought home Caroline Seay for a 2-0 lead.
The Huskies tied it in the top of the fourth with a two-run home run by Shedd, her first of the season.
The score remained tied through regulation, as the teams headed into extra innings. With the international tiebreaker rule into effect,
Cecilia Bauer was placed on second to start the top of the eighth.
Melissa Herman singled, which brought Bauer to third. V. Granchelli grounded out to shortstop, which allowed Bauer to score and give the Huskies a 3-2 lead.
The Bulldogs would answer, however, as Abby Adams was placed on second, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on an RBI double by Karsin Spinks. HBU forced a ninth inning by getting a strikeout and a groundout to end the threat.
In the top of the ninth, Shedd was placed on second and advanced to third on a
Libby Brown sacrifice bunt. But the Bulldogs got a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning. Samford's Dowdy was placed on second to begin the bottom half of the inning, advanced to third on a fielding error, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Caitlin Bice, ending the game.
In game two, Shedd went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Huskies.
Alyssa Burnett went 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Belovsky (4-3) went the distance in the circle, as she allowed six hits, three runs, and one walk while striking out two.
Laura Aguilar led ASU (3-10) with three hits in four at-bats. Kendall Core went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Rachel Mills (0-4) started in the circle and took the loss, as she gave up seven hits, four runs (three earned), and one walk while striking out two. Maddie Phelps tossed the final inning and allowed two hits and two unearned runs, as she struck out one.
There was no score until the top of the third.
Madison Vonhagel hit a one-out double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on an RBI ground out by
Erica Reyes.
The Huskies erupted for four runs in the top of the sixth, as Shedd hit a three-run homer to left-center field, her second blast of the day.
The Hornets answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. ASU got on the board with an RBI double by Alexis Johnson. Jenna Mae Thorne tried to score from first, but was gunned down, Bauer-to-Belovsky-to-Vonhagel. That proved key as the very next batter, Core, hit a two-run home run to left to make the score, 4-3.
With a new pitcher in Phelps in the circle, Burnett helped the Huskies increase their lead by hitting a two-run homer to right to give HBU some breathing room, 6-3. The Hornets threatened with two outs and runners on the corners, but HBU got a fly out to end the game.
HBU plays a single game at UTSA Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6 pm.
