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HOUSTON – After a tough stretch to open Southland Conference play, HBU picked up its first two league wins by taking both games of a doubleheader against visiting Incarnate Word on Friday afternoon at Husky Field, winning by scores of 3-2 and 4-0.
Game 1
The Cardinals (5-28, 1-10 SLC) struck in the top of the first in the opener with an HBU (10-16, 2-9 SLC) error opening the door for Alex Alonzo's RBI double with two outs to put UIW ahead 1-0. The Huskies had a response in the second with
Libby Brown leading the inning off with a double to the gap in left center. After Brown advanced to third on a
Brooke Bushman groundout to the right side,
Megan Hiers drew a walk to put runners on first and third with one out.
Kay Schroeder dropped down a squeeze bunt with Brown beating the tag at home, tying things at 1-1.
In the top of the fourth, Incarnate Word got runners on first and second with two outs before Delaney Guzman stole third. Lacie Stevens then sent a 3-1 pitch into center for an RBI single, putting the Huskies down by one.
The score remained 2-1 until the bottom of the seventh when
Heidi Jaquez drew a leadoff walk. Senior
Cecilia Bauer laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Jaquez up to second, but a heads up Jaquez rounded second and broke for third with no defenders covering the bag. Stevens, who was covering first, fired across the diamond but her throw was off target, ending up in foul territory down the left field line and allowing Jaquez to scamper home and tie the game.
With one out, pinch hitter
Kassie James lined a one-out single into shallow right field and was followed by
Nicole Shedd who reached on a fielder's choice, giving HBU a runner on first with two outs. Brown drew a walk, putting two on for HBU and setting the table for Bushman, who sent the first pitch she saw down the third base line, right over the bag and into foul territory to bring Shedd home for the winning run.
Senior
Emily Mueller picked up the win for HBU, tossing a complete game and allowing two runs, just one earned, over seven innings while scattering four hits. She also walked three and struck out one. Her record now stands at 4-11 for the year.
Game 2
The Huskies wasted no time in game two as Jaquez drew a leadoff walk and moved up to second on a Bauer sacrifice bunt. Hiers drove the second pitch she saw to deep right field for an RBI double and then scored when Shedd followed with a single up the middle. With a 2-0 lead, Brown reached on a fielder's choice and then stole second. Starting pitcher
Shae Bibby then lined a single to right with two outs to score Brown and set herself up with a 3-0 lead after one inning. Bauer provided the Huskies' fourth run when she led off the fifth inning with a solo home run to left, her fourth homer of the season.
Bibby controlled the Cardinal offense from the start, scattering five singles over seven innings and striking out a career-high six batters and walking none. The freshman improved to 2-2 on the season.
Bushman was 3-for-6 at the plate on the day and was also hit by a pitch. Shedd went 3-for-7 while Brown was 2-for-6. Six different HBU players drove in one run on the day while Brown and Jaquez both scored twice.
HBU's pitchers allowed just nine hits over the two games with only one extra-base hit, Alonzo's double in the first inning of the first game. The Huskies have now won three straight after suffering through an 11-game losing streak.
The Huskies and Cardinals will conclude their three-game set on Saturday, April 1, afternoon with first pitch scheduled for noon at Husky Field.
