BEAUMONT —-
Kaicey Hagler's bases-loaded double highlighted a four-run ninth inning as HCU captured a 6-2 win over Lamar and earned a split of Friday's Southland Conference twin-bill at LU Softball Complex.
The Cardinals had won the opener in a walk-off, scoring twice in the seventh inning for a 3-2 victory.
GAME 1
Lamar got on the scoreboard in the second on Ann RBI single by Cameron Niedenthal that scored pinch-runner Kayla Xayaseng for a 1-0 lead.
HCU would grab the lead in the fifth.
Hadlee Tomczak was hit by a pitch to start the inning and pinch-runner
Tabitha Burnett moved to second on
Riley Martin's sacrifice bunt.
Avery Drake then singled with both runners advancing a base on the throw in.
Haylie Savage then laced a two-run double to right-center and the Huskies held a 2-1 lead.
In the seventh, the Cardinals loaded the bases with one out, and Roni Grofman relieved
Katy Janes. Pinch-hitter Audry Fleming would then reach on a fielders choice to send Aleka Xayasend home and knot the game at two. Kaylee Ancelot followed with a single to left, scoring Estella Garza with the game-winner.
Janes gave up just five hits over 6.1 innings, allowing three runs with five walks and three strikeouts in falling to 6-10 on the season.
Savage was 1-3 with two RIB, while
Riley Martin went 1-2 and
Avery Drake was 1-4 with a run.
Aaliyah Ruiz moved to 6-11 with the win, going seven innings while scattering seven hits. Ancelot went 2-4 with an RBI, and Aleka Zayaseng was 2-2 with a run scored.
GAME 2
It would take a couple of extra frames, but the Huskies rebounded in game two to salvage a split of the doubleheader.
HCU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a bases-leaded walk by
Avery Drake that scored
Kaicey Hagler. The Cardinals got the run back in the fourth, as Sam Bean was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on an RBI single to left by Cameron Niedenthal.
The lead went back to the visitors in the top of the seventh.
Haylie Savage singled with one out and moved to second on
Autumn Sydlik's ground-out.
Jasie Roberts then doubled to left field to plate Savage and give HCU a 2-1 lead.
Lamar once again headed to the home half of the seventh down a run, and again, they'd dent the scoreboard. This time, it was for a single run, as Mikaila Kenney's sacrifice fly scored Kayla Xayaseng to make the score 2-2.
The Huskies would then break things open in the ninth inning, scoring four times to put the game out of reach. Drake and Savage would get things going with back-to-back singles, and both would move up a base on Sydlik's sac bunt. Roberts then walked to juice the sacks, and
Kaicey Hagler cleared those sacks with a double to left-center for a 5-2 HCU lead.
Hagler then moved to third on a ground-out by
Maggie Childs, and came home with the final run of the game on
Tabitha Burnett's RBI single to left field.
Lyndie Swanson picked up the victory, tossing nine innings and allowing just five hits, while walking none. Now 9-6 on the season, it is the second time in the last three starts that Swanson has pitched the Huskies to victory with a nine-inning outing.
Burnett and Savage each had three hits to lead the Huskies 12-hit offense. Hagler went 2-5 with two runs and three RBI, while Drake was 2-3 with a run and RBI.
Cameron Niedenthal suffered the loss in relief, going the night and allowing al four runs to fall to 2-8. She was also 2-4 from the plate with an RBI.
NEXT UP:
The Huskies (20-23 / 9-8 SLC) will look to win the three-game set when they face the Cardinals (13-31 / 6-11) in the series finale Saturday at LU Softball Complex.
First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for noon, and you can follow the game via ESPN+, LIVE STATS or inning by inning updates from
@HCUSoftball Twitter.
