RUSTON, La. – The HCU softball team suffered a pair of one-run losses on day two of the LA Tech Invitational on Sunday at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field, falling to Umass Lowell in 10 innings, 4-3, and Louisiana Tech, 1-0.
Game 1
The River Hawks (3-9) put runners on second and third with one out in the top of the first but HCU (9-10) starter
Ronni Grofman got a big strikeout followed by a popout to second to end the inning. The Huskies put a runner on third in the fourth but were unable to get a run across.
AB Garcia led off the bottom of the fifth with a double up the middle before stealing third with one out and scoring on a throwing error by the catcher for a 1-0 lead. UML's Mya Case evened things up quickly, however, with a leadoff home run in the top of the sixth.
The game remained knotted at 1-1 through seven with HCU putting runners in scoring position in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. The 10
th started with a runner placed on second base for both teams. The River Hawks took advantage of a leadoff walk and used a pair of singles to push across three runs against HCU reliever
Lyndie Swanson. In HCU's half,
Avery Drake started the inning on second, scoring on a first-pitch double by
Haylie Savage. Two batters later, with one out,
Autumn Sydlik singled up the middle to bring Savage around to score and make it a one-run ballgame. The Huskies' comeback ended with a fielder's choice and a groundout, however.
Garcia finished with a three-hit game while
Mackenzie Morris went 2-for-4. Grofman didn't figure into the decision but pitched eight innings, scattering six hits and allowing one earned run with three strikeouts and no walks. Swanson took the loss, falling to 3-4 for the season.
Game 2
In a 1-0 loss to the host Lady Techsters (14-15), Louisiana Tech plated the game's lone run in the bottom of the first. A pair of walks started the inning and a Kylie Neel single down the left field line with nobody out was all it took.
HCU's first real chance to get on the board came in the fourth when Savage singled through the right side with one out.
Jasie Roberts and
Maggie Childs were hit by pitches in consecutive at-bats to load the bases with just one out. Sydlik dropped a bunt to try and push across Savage but she was out at home on an unassisted put-out by the catcher.
Katy Janes was the hard-luck loser in the circle for the Huskies, allowing just the one earned run in six innings pitched. She struck out four and walked three.
HCU heads to Conway, S.C. for its final tournament of the season, taking part in the Beach Chicken Brawl hosted by Coastal Carolina. The event will pit the Huskies against Canisius, Ohio State and the host Chanticleers for five games in three days from Friday through Sunday, Mar. 10-12.
