HOUSTON – After spotting Texas Southern a first-inning run, HBU answered with three in the bottom half of the frame and never looked back in a 5-1 victory over the Lady Tigers on Saturday afternoon from Husky Field.
Laci Belovsky paced the HBU (6-3) offense with two hits in as many at-bats, while registering an RBI and a run. She also picked up the win in the circle, as she allowed two hits, one unearned run, and two walks while striking out two in three innings.
Shannon O'Connor picked up her second save of the season as she gave up just one hit and a walk while whiffing three in four innings.
Brooke Bushman came in as a defensive replacement late in the game and hit a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth.
Haley Smith went 1-for-3 with an RBI for TSU (4-6), while Domonique Tello scored the Lady Tigers' run. Jasmine Fullmore lasted only one-third of an inning, as she gave up five hits and three earned runs. Lauren Rodriguez tossed 5.2 innings of solid relief work, as she struck out six while allowing three hits, two earned runs, and one walk.
HBU started the game with a throwing error, as Tello would have reached first safely, but advanced to second on the miscue. Tello advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and crossed home on Smith's single to center. Despite another error later in the inning, the Huskies got out of the inning without further damage.
HBU sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom half of the inning, as back-to-back one-out doubles by
Cecilia Bauer and
Caitlin Gunn had runners on second and third. Belovsky singled home Bauer to tie the game and Gunn later scored on a wild pitch.
Demi Janak singled home Belovky to make the score 3-1, while
Libby Brown's single chased starter Fullmore in favor of Rodriguez. Rodriguez got a fly out and a strikeout to end the inning.
The score remained that way until the top of the sixth when TSU threatened with bases loaded and one out. O'Connor settled down and got a big strikeout on Chanler Powell, then had an inning-ending Amber Garza fly out to center as the score remained 3-1.
The Huskies scored two in the bottom half for some much-needed insurance.
Nicole Shedd hit a two-out double to put her at second and Janak at third for Bushman. Bushman, in only her fourth at-bat of the season, delivered big, as she nailed a two-run double to right-center for a 5-1 Huskies advantage.
HBU hosts Prairie View A&M in a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 1 at 2 p.m.
