IRVING, Texas - Trinity softball improves to (13-16, 8-3 SCAC) after the Saturday sweep of conference foe University of Dallas. The Tigers handled the Crusaders in the first game with a score of 5-1 and scored the go-ahead run in game two to win 5-4 in eight innings. 

In game one, senior Cat Patterson (West Columbia, Texas / Brazosport Christian) threw a complete game. The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference pitcher of the Week only surrendered one run on six hits and struck out four batters to earn the win.

First-year Jessica Lloyd (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. / Trabuco Hills) went 4-for-8 at the plate and drove in the game-winning run in extras to lift Trinity over Dallas. 

Game One Rundown

The Tigers got going early and scored two runs after taking advantage of a few Crusader errors. Lloyd led the Tigers off with a single up the middle. Watson then reached first and advanced to second after laying down a bunt that was misplayed. With two outs, Lloyd and Watson scored after sophomore Jordyn Williams (Clayton, Calif. / Clayton Valley) reached first on an error by the Dallas second baseman to take an early 2-0 lead. 

The Crusaders responded in the bottom of the first with one run of their own to cut their early deficit in half. 

In the top of the fourth, senior Brianna Pena (La Porte, Texas / La Porte) singled to center field and later stole second before an out was recorded. The senior then advanced to third on a flyout to center and later scored on a single to right field from senior Sammie Whitman (Austin, Texas / Lake Travis) to increase the Tiger lead to 3-1. 

To lead off the fifth inning, first-year Sydney Watson (San Antonio, Texas / San Antonio Christian) singled to left field and then stole second base. Williams then ripped an RBI triple down the right field line. Pena then hit an infield single to bring in another run and make the score 5-1 in favor of Trinity. 

Despite giving up the early run in the bottom of the first, Patterson settled in and went to work. After the first inning, the Crusaders did not have a runner advance past second base until the bottom of the sixth inning. The senior was able to work out of the jam and strand the runners on first and third to keep the score 5-1.

With one out in the final frame, the Crusaders singled. Behind the dish, first-year Abigail Miller (Winnetka, Calif. / El Camino Real) threw out the potential base stealer to empty the bases. The next batter grounded out to second and the Tigers took game one 5-1. 

Game Two Rundown

With one out in the top of the first, Watson doubled to left-center field. Pena was then walked to put runners on first and second but the Two Tigers were ultimately stranded. Junior pitcher Emery Boettcher (Fredericksburg, TX / Fredericksburg) started game two of the series. The junior gave up one hit in the first but the runner made it all the way to third before she was able to get out of the jam. In the bottom of the second, a Crusader doubled but was called out after leaving early on an attempt to advance to third on a fly ball. Boettcher then forced a flyout to get out the inning. 

Dallas struck first, scoring the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning. Ultimately, the Crusaders scored on a wild pitch. Williams led off the top of the fourth inning with a single through the right side and later advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. The Tigers were unable to bring in a run to tie the game up. The Crusaders added three runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend their lead to 4-0. 

The Tigers offense exploded for four runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game 4-4. First-year Alexa Saucedo (Harlingen, Texas / Harlingen) and Whitman led off the top of the fifth with back-to-back singles. Both runners then moved up a base on a wild pitch. Lloyd then walked to load the bases with no outs for the Tigers. Senior Madison Horn (Schertz, Texas / Clemens) was called to pinch run for Lloyd. With the bases loaded, Watson walked to bring in a run. Pena followed that up with an RBI single to keep the bases loaded with no outs. Williams was then hit by a pitch to plate another run. Sophomore Dawson Dabboussi (Dallas, Texas / Highland Park) tied the game up 4-4 after bringing in a run and reaching on a fielder's choice. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Patterson came in to pitch. The senior gave up an infield single but Miller gunned her down to clear the base paths. The Tigers were able to get out of the inning and keep the game tied. Lloyd re-entered the game and hit a two-out double. Watson then reached on an error but Trinity was unable to capitalize. 

Williams led off the seventh inning with a single up the middle. Dabboussi then doubled off the left field wall to put runners on second and third with no outs. The Crusaders were bailed out after a screaming line drive was caught off the bat of sophomore Diamond Elizondo (San Antonio, Texas / Stevens) into a double play to end the inning. 

With the game heading to extras, Saucedo led the eighth inning off with a double down the right field line. The first year was bunted over with just one out down. Lloyd brought Saucedo in with a single to left center to take a 5-4 lead. 

The Crusaders hit a leadoff single in the eighth. Dallas then bunted the runner over. With one out, the next batter popped up to the pitcher. With runners on first and second the last batter grounded out to short. The Tigers won game two to sweep the day. 

Notable Numbers 

Watson is 4-for-5 on stolen bases this season

As a team, Trinity stole three bases in the first game. Behind the plate, Miller also threw out two base runners today. 

Pena was a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored for the first game. 

Whitman also tallied two hits in the first game and added an RBI. 

Saucedo went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in the second game. 

Williams was 2-for-3 with a run batted in for game two. 

The Tigers are currently on a three-game winning streak. 

Up Next

The Tigers will play the third and final game of the series tomorrow at noon. Trinity will then start a seven-game homestand. Six of those games will count towards the conference standings.