HOUSTON – HBU softball could not overcome fast starts by visiting Sam Houston State as the Huskies dropped both games of a doubleheader by scores of 5-2 and 8-1 Saturday at Husky Field.
Senior 1B
Melissa Herman went 3-for-6 with a pair of RBIs in the twinbill.
Kay Schroeder also registered an RBI.
The Bearkats used the long ball early in game one to take advantage, as Dani Allen and Sarah Allison each hit solo shots in the first and second innings, respectively, to take a 2-0 lead. SHSU added another run in the second when Alexis Garcia's RBI single brought home Peyton Webb.
HBU got one of the runs back in the bottom half of the frame.
Victoria Granchelli led off the inning with a single through the right side. She advanced to second on a
Cecilia Bauer sacrifice bunt and scored on an RBI single to left by Schroeder. The Huskies threatened for more, as Schroeder had advanced to second on the throw home and to third on a wild pitch, but SHSU got a strikeout and a foul out to end the inning. It was the second-consecutive inning starter Meme Quinn got out of a jam with minimal or zero damage, as HBU began the bottom of the first with runners at second and third, but could not get a run across.
HBU got the first two Bearkats out in the top of the third, but back-to-back doubles pushed their lead to 4-1. The Bearkats scored their final run in the top of the fourth on Angelica Gonzales' RBI double.
HBU took advantage of defensive miscues for SHSU in the bottom of the fifth.
Madison Vonhagel led off the inning and reached on an error.
Shay Orsak's double put runners at second and third and chased Quinn out of the circle for Haley Baros.
Libby Brown reached base safely on another error, which loaded the bases. After a fielder's choice where the Bearkats got Vonhagel out at home, Herman hit a grounder to third, who went home and tried to get Herman out at first for the double play, but Herman reached the bag safely on another error. In a heads-up play, Brown came all the way from second to score and make the score 5-2. With runners at the corners, Baros got a deep fly ball to center to end the inning.
Orsak led HBU with two hits, while Herman and Schroeder had an RBI apiece.
Laci Belovsky started in the circle and took the loss, as she allowed four hits, three runs, and one walk in 1.1 innings.
Shannon O'Connor tossed the final 5.2 innings and allowed six hits and two runs with two strikeouts.
Allison went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Garcia also had two hits for SHSU. Quinn earned the win, as she gave up six hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out one in 4.0+ innings. Baros picked up her third save of the season as she was nearly perfect, only allowing a walk in 3.0 innings.
SHSU put a three-spot to begin game two. HBU got one of the runs back in the bottom half of the first, when Herman's sacrifice bunt allowed V. Granchelli to score from third. But the Bearkats would add two more in the top of the third and three in the final two innings to pull away.
Herman went 2-for-2 in the game with an RBI. The top four hitters for HBU went 5-for-13 with an RBI and a run scored.
Emily Mueller started and took the loss, as she faced four batters. Belovsky came in relief.
Allen and Tiffany Castillo each had two hits for SHSU. Hannah Marino hit a two-run homer in the third inning and finished with a game-high three runs knocked in. Tayler Atkinson went the distance in the circle, as she allowed six hits, one unearned run, and two walks with two strikeouts.
HBU (10-23 overall, 4-13 SLC) and SHSU (12-24, 4-12) conclude the series Sunday at 2 pm.
