PHOENIX, Arizona – HBU softball splits the second day of the GCU Purple Classic, dropping the first game 8-0 against Grand Canyon, but topped Niagara 14-8 in non-conference softball at GCU Softball Stadium.
GAME 1
Sophomore
Heidi Jaquez and senior
Kassie James went 1-for-2 for the Huskies (1-6). Jaquez singles up the middle, James singled to the left side.
Jessica Patak (1-3) took the loss, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing eight runs off seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
Loriann Olson went 3-for-4 for Grand Canyon (7-8), driving in three with a home run, double and two runs scored. Shea Smith hit 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a RBI, while Madelyn Dowdle hit a two-run homer for the Lopes.
Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage earned the win, holding HBU to no runs off two hits with six strikeouts and one walk in six innings.
GAME 2
Jaquez went 3-for-5, hitting a double and a homerun to drive a game-high six RBIs and scored twice. Freshman Elliot Estes and sophomore
Amber Lotz both hit 2-for-3. Estes hit her first career home run and had two runs scored, while Lotz walked and scored three times. Seniors
Nicole Shedd, Kay Shroeder, James and junior
Brooke Bushman all went 2-for-4. Bushman tripled, had two RBIs and two runs scored. James, Shedd and Schroeder each drove in a run and scored.
Elliot Estes (1-0) recorded her first win on the mound for the Huskies (2-6), allowing six runs on four hits with four walks in 4.1 innings. Senior
Stephanie Buenrostro made an appearance, allowing two runs on three hits with one walk in one inning.
Kelsey Harrigan led Grand Canyon (3-5), hitting 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Jerri Ann Orfana recorded three RBIs off of a single, while Watkins walked twice to score once and drive in one. Sarah Trifoso singled and walked to score twice.
Karsen Cotton (1-1) got the loss, allowing 14 runs off 16 hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
At the top of the first, two walks and a single up the middle loaded the bases with no outs. Orfana and Heather Haberman grounded out to second, both pushing across runs to put the Eagles on the board, 2-0.
The Husky offense came alive soon after, when lead-off Hiedi Jaquez doubled to left field. Humphrey hit a ground ball to third base, but reached second on a throwing error, placing Jaquez on third. Back-to-back singles by James and Shedd scored Jaquez and Humphrey. With one out and runners on first and third, Bushman came up big with a triples to puch across Shedd and James.
Amber Lotz was walked, but thanks to a wild pitch Lotz advanced to second, while Bushman scored. Estes continued the Husky threat with a singled to left field. A batter later,
Heidi Jaquez hit a three-run home run to jump to an 8-2 lead.
In the bottom of the second, a walk and back-to-back singles put runners on all around with two outs. Schroeder reached first off of an error by the second baseman to score Janak. Jaquez singled to right field and advanced to second on a throw, which pushed across two runs. Humphrey followed with a single to the left side that scored Schroeder, 12-2.
Niagara started the third off with lead-off single. Then, an error by Janak put runners on first and second. A sacrifice fly by Orfana, pushed across a run, 12-5.
HBU scored again with a solo home run by Estes in the fourth and an RBI by Hiedi Jaquez to score
Amber Lotz, while Niagara scored three in the fifth and two in the sixth.
