SAN ANTONIO – The Tiger softball team dropped both game of a doubleheader at home against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on Monday night, falling 12-0 and 4-3.

Trinity's game two rally fell just short as the tying run was stranded on second, following a double to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning. The Tigers fall to 0-12 on the season with the losses.

Emery Boettcher (Fredericksburg, Texas / Fredericksburg) (0-6) was the hard-luck losing pitcher in both games, allowing just two earned runs in four innings of game one, and going the distance in game two. She also allowed just two earned runs in the second game as well, scattering eight hits over seven innings.

Sydney Watson (San Antonio, Texas / San Antonio Christian) had a hit in each game during the doubleheader, including a 2-for-4 performance in game two that included a double and a run scored.  

Trinity will begin conference play this weekend at Centenary College (LA) this weekend, then will return home for a pair of non-conference doubleheaders next week against fellow Texas schools Howard Payne University and Concordia University.

Game One Rundown

Both teams had runners on base in the first three innings, but the Tigers and Crusaders were locked in a scoreless tie. Boettcher allowed five hits in the first three innings, but kept UMHB off the board early. That included pitching around a pair of two-out singles and stranding the bases loaded in the third.

Mary Hardin-Baylor broke through with four runs in the top of the fourth inning, picking up four more hits and taking advantage of three Trinity errors in the inning. Two of the runs charged against Boettcher were unearned.

Trinity's offense picked up all three of its hits in the first three innings, and after the visitors got on the board, the Tigers didn't have another baserunner until the bottom of the seventh. In the top of the seventh, UMHB cut off any thoughts of a comeback with eight runs on six hits and another Trinity error.

Game Two Rundown

The second game started much like the first, though this time neither team was able to scratch across a run over the first four frames instead of just the first three. Boettcher was back in the circle for the Tigers in game two, pitching her way out of trouble with a double play in the second. Trinity had a chance to take the lead after loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but the next two Tigers were retired and the game remained tied 0-0.

That proved to be key as Mary Hardin-Baylor was able to scratch across a run with a two-out hit in the fifth to take the lead. Trinity answered with some two-out magic of its own, beginning with a double from Watson, who came around to score on an error by the Crusaders and the game was tied again at 1-1.

Boettcher got the first two batters of the sixth inning out, but the Crusaders strung together a pair of hits to put runners on second and third with two outs. After a walk loaded the bases, the fifth Trinity error of the day allowed two unearned runs to score, and Mary Hardin-Baylor took a 3-1 lead with just six outs remaining for the Tiger offense.

Jordyn Williams (Clayton, Calif. / Clayton Valley Charter) opened the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff double to get the offense going, and pinch-hitter Abigail Miller (Winnetka, Calif. / El Camino Real) delivered a clutch RBI single to make it a 3-2 game. Maliena Carelli (Kirkland, Wash. / Lake Washington) and Diamond Elizondo (San Antonio, Texas / Stevens) both drew walks to load the bases, then UMHB committed an error that knotted things up once again at 3-3.

The back-and-forth game continued in the seventh as the Crusaders nudged back in front with a pinch-hit solo homer with one out to make it a 4-3 game. Boettcher gave up a double after the home run, but was able to pitch around the second hit of the inning to keep it a one-run affair heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Kristina Kish (Tucson, Ariz. / Canyon Del Oro) opened up the Tiger seventh with a double to put the tying run aboard, but Mary Hardin-Baylor retired the next three hitters in order to end the rally and escape with the victory.

Numbers to Note

Kish finished with two hits in the second game, joining Watson as the only Tiger players with a multi-hit game in the doubleheader.

Madison Horn (Schertz, Texas / Clemens) and Watson were the only Trinity players to record a hit in both ends of the doubleheader.

Up Next

Trinity opens Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference action with a three-game series at Centenary College in Shreveport, La. The Tigers and Ladies open with an afternoon doubleheader on Saturday, March 5, at noon. The series concludes with a single game on Sunday at noon.