FARMER'S BRANCH, Texas -- Hardin-Simmons'
softball team dropped its opening game in the American Southwest
Conference Softball Championship, falling 3-0 to East
Texas Baptist on Thursday afternoon at Oran Good Park in Farmer's
Branch.
The
Tigers put up two runs in the first inning. Ashton Brey was hit by a
pitch to leadoff the game, stole second and moved to third on a wild
pitch. She scored on
a Sara Clements groundout. Lacy Liles then had a one-out single, moved
to second on a Alyssa Romero walk, and both moved up on a Kayla Garcia
groundout. Katrina Cordova reached on a throwing error by shortstop Amy
Meyer to plate Liles.
HSU's
best chance to score came in the bottom of the first inning. Amy Meyer
singled with one out and Blair Wallace and Taylor Namey both walked to
load the bases
with one out. But ETBU starter Kaylee Davis recorded a pair of looking
strikeouts to end the threat.
The
Cowgirls did not have a runner past second base the rest of the game as
Davis worked a four-hit shutout with nine strikeouts.
ETBU
added an insurance run in the sixth. Clements had a one-out double and
moved to third on a Romero single to left with two outs. She then scored
on the back end
of a double steal when Romero broke for second, the Cowgirls put Romero
in a run down and Clements broke for the plate and just beat the tag of
Taylor Namey at the plate.
Namey
and Meyer, both four-year starters for the Cowgirls, each had two hits
for HSU. Wallace scattered five hits and allowed two earned runs in the
complete-game
loss. She is now 13-8 on the year.
HSU,
who fell to 23-16 with the loss, will play the loser of tonight's Mary
Hardin-Baylor-Louisiana College game on Friday at 1:30. p.m. with its
season on the line.
ETBU improved to 24-15 and will play Texas-Tyler at 5 p.m. Thursday
evening.