Skip To Main Content

Houston Christian University Athletics

OFFICIAL SITE OF HCU ATHLETICS
HCU ATHLETICS
ESPN Plus Logo
18 - Savage (Tarleton)
Toby Rhodes
5
E ILLINOIS EIU 4-8
6
Winner HCU HCU 3-6
E ILLINOIS EIU
4-8
5
Final
6
HCU HCU
3-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
E ILLINOIS EIU 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 5 7 1
HCU HCU 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 1 6 7 0

W: Pitman, Cara (1-0) L: FRENCH, Bryanna (1-2)

4
HCU HCU 3-7
12
Winner ULM ULM 6-7
HCU HCU
3-7
4
Final
12
ULM ULM
6-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
HCU HCU 0 0 1 0 3 4 6 3
ULM ULM 2 0 1 8 1 12 11 2

W: Bordeau, Bristin (1-0) L: Evans, Kynleigh (1-3)

Game Recap: Softball |

SB: Huskies rally for win in opener, fall in nightcap at Warhawk Invitational

HCU plays once on day two, facing host ULM for second straight game



MONROE, Louisiana --- Houston Christian University split its games on the first day of action at the Warhawk Invitational on Friday at the ULM Softball Complex. The Huskies rallied with five unanswered runs in their final three at-bats to claim a 6-5 extra-inning victory over Eastern Illinois University in the afternoon opener before succumbing to host University of Louisiana-Monroe 12-4 in the nightcap.
 
The Huskies are now 3-7 on the season. HCU will return to action for a single contest on Saturday, taking on host ULM for the second straight time on the weekend. First pitch is slated for 6:30 pm. 

HCU will close the weekend with a pair of games on Sunday against EIU and Southern University. 
 
DAY 1 - GAME 1 vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS
 
The Panthers pounced early, putting a three-spot on the board in their very first turn at-bat. Abbey Crain walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a single by Kendall Grover. Both runners would hit the dish after a two-run double to left center by Abbi Hatton, who would later score on a wild pitch to put the Huskies in a 3-0 hole before ever stepping to the plate.
 
HCU would get a run back in the fourth inning. AB Garcia walked to lead off the frame, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on sacrifice bunt from Haylie Savage. Hanna York then singled to bring Garcia home and cut the deficit to 3-1.
 
Eastern put two more up in the fifth however, as Crain singled and Grover followed with a homer to left center, pushing the Panther advantage to 5-1. The Huskies again clawed one run back in the sixth. Haylie Savage reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to third on a York double to left. Chloe Foster then pushed Savage across the pay station with a sacrifice fly to center, cutting the score to 5-2.
 
In the seventh, the Huskies rallied to pull even. Heidi Maytum walked and with one out advanced to second on a wild pitch. AB Garcia then walked to bring up Savage, who promptly deposited her first dinger of the season to right center, scoring three and knotting things up at five. HCU would then load the bases on a single by Foster and walks to Karlie Barba and Keely Castillo but couldn't push forth another score, sending the game into extra frames.
 
International tie-breaker rules began the eighth, and Cara Pitman worked out of a runners on the corners spot in the top half. In the bottom of the frame, Mackenzie Morris pinch-ran and was placed on second base, and she quickly moved to third on a groundout by Maytum. With two outs, Garcia reached on an error, brining Morris home to cap the come-from-behind victory.
 
Hanna York went 2-4 with an RBI, while Savage and Garcia both went 1-3 with two runs scored. Savage had the big knock with her first homer of the season, driving home three runs, pushing her into the Top 10 in each of those categories with one swing. She is now tied for ninth in homers and RBI.
 
Cara Pitman picked up her first collegiate win, going four strong innings of scoreless relief of Kynleigh Evans. Pitman allowed just one hit and walked one to hold the Panthers at bay whilst the Huskies made their comeback.
 
Kendall Grover was 2-3 with a homer and two RBI and Abbi Hatton was 2-4 with two RBI as well. Bryanna French took the loss in relief, giving up the unearned run in the eighth. Karlie McKenzie went 6.2 innings, scattering seven hits, five earned runs with six free passes and six strikeouts.
 
The two teams will meet again on Sunday morning at 10 am.
 
DAY 2 - GAME 2 vs. ULM:
 
Game two began much like game one. Louisiana-Monroe would put runners on first and second to start the frame to bring up Morgan Brown, who grounded into a fielder's choice. When the throw went awry, her sister Meagan Brown scored from third and Hollie Thomas thenfollowed with a double down the left field line to score Morgan Brown and give the Warhawks an early 2-0 lead.
 
The Huskies would cut the lead in half in the top of the third. With one out, AB Garcia got a bunt single to third and advanced all the way to third base on an throwing error, then on in to score on a second error on the same play. ULM got that run right back in their at-bat as the Brown sisters were at it again. Meagan lined a one-out single to center and then scored on Morgan's double to left center to reclaim the two-run advantage for the hosts.
 
In the fourth, the Warhawks broke the game open. Two of the first three batters reached an HCU pitching change. After a walk to load the sacks, pinch-hitter Reece Briggs unloaded them quickly with a double to left center, pushing the home lead to 6-1. Five more runs would cross the plate before the inning was done, pushing the margin to 11-1.
 
HCU put a three on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth to keep things going. Heidi Maytum reached on an error and Ella Herrewig singled up the middle. AB Garcia followed with a walk to load the bases to bring up Savage, who knocked a single through the right side to score two runs. Hanna York then singled to push Garcia across and cut the lead to 11-4. The Huskies would load the bases again before a double play ended the inning.
 
The bottom of the fifth frame would see Louisiana-Monroe load the bases with one out and Maryssa Zenzen's infield single scored Meagan Brown with the game-ender.
 
Savage led the Huskies with her second two-hit effort of the first day, going 2-3 with two RBI. Garcia was 1-2 with two runs scored while York went 1-3 with an RBI. Karlie Barba and Ella Herrewig collected the other two hits for HCU.
 
Kynleigh Evans suffered the loss in relief, giving up five runs on three hits as the second of three pitchers used in the contest for the Huskies.
 
Morgan and Meagan Brown as well as Hollie Thomas each had two hits, while Morgan Brown, Thomas and Reece Briggs each had three runs driven in. Bristin Bordeau, the second of three pitchers for the Warhawks, picked up the win with 1.2 innings of relief.
 
#DawgsUp


 
Print Friendly Version