RUSTON, La. – The HBU softball team split their final two games at the LA Tech Invitational, falling 9-0 to host Louisiana Tech in six innings and then defeating Belmont, 7-4, in a late night finish at Lady Techster Softball Complex on Friday.
The Huskies (5-3) closed the tournament with a 2-2 record. Freshman
Savana Guidry and
Libby Brown were named to the all-tournament team following the completions of Sunday's games.
Guidry, Brown and sophomore
Nicole Shedd, each turned in two hits for HBU against Belmont (0-8). Guidry recorded the first triple of her career, while Brown doubled.
In the circle, senior
Laci Belovsky (3-1) tossed her third complete game of the season. The native of Conroe, Texas, scattered four hits and four runs (two earned), while recording on walk and one strikeout across 34 batters faced.
After a scoreless opening frame from either team, pitcher Lexi Rouse (0-1) got the Bruins on the board with a solo home run to left field in the second inning. Rouse was also the pitcher of record for Belmont, surrendering four runs (two earned) on five hits across two innings in the circle.
After the Bruins added two more runs in the top of the third inning, the Huskies responded in the bottom frame to take the lead. Following a leadoff error that allowed Guidry to reach base safely, senior
Shay Orsak doubled to left field to put two in scoring position. Brown then brought both in with a two-bagger down the left field line, before scoring herself three batters later on a single from Shedd. Belmont's second infield error of the inning allowed HBU to add more run.
The Bruins capitalized on two errors by the Huskies in the fifth inning to tie the game, 4-4. However, HBU quickly responded with three runs in the team's next trip to the plate to go back on top. With one out freshman
Demi Janak doubled into the right-center gap. Shedd then singled up the middle to score Janak, before coming around herself on senior Cecilia Baurer's two-run homer in the next at bat to claim the 7-4 final.
In first game of the night, LA Tech (7-2) limited the Huskies to three hits in a 9-0 six-inning run-rule. Senior
Caitlin Gunn, Belovsky, and Guidry all hit safely for HBU, as senior
Shannon O'Connor (1-1) took the loss in the circle.
The Huskies will be back in action on Friday, playing their home opener at Husky Field in a doubleheader with Prairie View starting at 2 p.m.
