HOUSTON —
Ronni Grofman went the distance in the circle and
Avery Drake had four hits and three RBI as HCU held off Texas A&M-Commerce for an 8-6 win on Wednesday afternoon at Husky Field. The victory completes a series sweep of the Lions and runs the Huskies winning streak to four.
Commerce jumped on the board early by scoring two runs in the top of the first on a two-run double to center field by Diamond Sefe,
HCU would answer with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Drake and
Haylie Savage would get back-to-back singles with one out to put runners on the corners.
Jasie Roberts launched a sacrifice fly to right field to get the Huskies on the board, and
Autumn Sydlik followed with a double to right-center to knot the game at two.
Two more would cross the pay station in the second to give the Huskies a 4-2 lead. Grofman walked to lead off, and
Maggie Childs followed with a bunt single.
Riley Martin moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt, and after
AB Garcia grounded out, Drake followed with a shot over the third base bag down the line for a two-run double.
Commerce pushed a run across in the fourth after two were out. With two on, Tatum Wright laced a pinch-hit single down the left field line to cut the lead to 4-3.
The Huskies would extend the lead in their half of the frame, scoring three times. Grofman again led off with a free pass, then stole second base before scoring on a solid single to center by Martin.
Garcia reached on a bunt single and was followed by an RBI single to center by Drake that chased Martin home. After Savage reached on a fielder's choice, Roberts pushed a base knock thru the right side to plate Drake and give HCU a four-run cushion.
In the sixth, it was Garcia and Drake again getting things going, with back-to-back bunt hits to start the inning. Savage then smoked a single up the middle to score Garcia and give HCU an 8-3 lead.
Commerce wouldn't go away, mounting a rally in the seventh. Kaydee Bennett reached on an error with one out and two batters later, scored on an RBI double to left center from America Rubio. Avery Ziegler followed her with a two-run homer to left center to make the score 8-6.
That would be all however as Grofman would get Sefe to fly out to center to end the threat and finish off the three-game sweep for the Huskies.
Grofman, who was making her first start since March 10 against Canisius in the Beach Chicken Brawl at Coastal Carolina, earned her fourth victory of the season. She tossed 112 pitches over seven strong innings, scattering six hits and six runs, only three of which were earned, while walking only two and fanning two. She induced 11 ground-ball outs, including six come-backers to the circle.
Drake posted two firsts for her career, notching a four-hit game and driving in three runs to lead HCU's 12-hit offense.
Garcia and Savage both went 2-4, and Roberts went 1-3 with two RBI. In addition to her mound work, Grofman walked twice and scored twice. Martin was 1-2 with an RBI and a run scored.
America Rubio went 2-3 with a run and RBI off the bench, while Ziegler and Sefe each drove in two runs.
TAMUC starter Emma Olsen suffered the loss, giving up three hits and three runs in one inning for the Lions, who fall to 5-33 overall and 1-14 in SLC play.
NEXT UP:
With the three-game series sweep, HCU (18-20 / 7-5 SLC) moves into fourth place at the midway point of the Southland Conference schedule.
The Huskies will welcome another set of Lions this weekend to cap off the six-game homestand, as Southeastern Louisiana invades Husky Field for a three-game series.
SLU is currently 35-8 overall and in second place in the SLC standings at 10-2, one game behind league leader McNeese.
The two teams will face off in a 4 pm / 6 pm double-dip on Friday night, followed by the series finale on Saturday at noon.
Live stats will be available for all three games, with the Friday twin-bill being shown on ESPN+.
For this weekend's game program,
CLICK HERE.
