SHREVEPORT, LA - Trinity University Softball takes two crucial games against Centenary on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers (28-11) snagged two wins; a 5-2 win in game one and an 8-7 win during game two.
Jordan Arce (Thousand Oaks, California / Thousand Oaks) earned a win in the circle, bringing her season record to 13-5 and putting her tied for 7th all-time for wins in a season.
Heather Nugent (Huntington Beach, California / Marina) was clutch in relief as she went a total of 8 innings across the two games and only allowed two runs. At the plate,
Samantha Tagawa (Agoura Hills, California / Agoura) led all Tiger bats by hitting .667 (4-6) with a double and driving in five of Trinity's 13 total runs. The Tigers reclaim the second-place spot in the conference standings and are one win above third-place St. Thomas.
Game One - Tigers 5, Ladies 2
When you see a run scored in the first, you know it was the Tigers.
Hannah Boudreaux (Pearland, Texas / Shadow Creek) got the party started with a two-out walk.
Jordyn Williams (Clayton, California / Clayton Valley Charter) then roped a double to left center to score Boudreaux all the way from first and Trinity was up 1-0 early. Everyone stayed relatively quiet for the next inning. Never being deterred from a bad inning, the TU bats were ready to rock. Boom, Tawaga singles on a bunt and immediately steals second. Bang,
Sydney Watson (San Antonio, Texas / San Antonio Christian) bunts her over. Pow, Boudreaux drives her in with a double and Trinity extends the lead to two, just what the doctor ordered.
Did the Ladies score two in the bottom of the fourth to tie it? Yes. Did the Tigers respond and retake the lead? Of course! How'd they do it? Same story, different inning. Tagawa walks and swipes the bag, Boudreaux singles up the middle and Trinity is back on top 3-2 through five innings. Fast forward to the sixth, the Tigers were back on the prowl.
Ella Whitacre (Roanoke, Texas / Byron Nelson) led off with a bunt single and
Angela Baltzell (Antioch, California / Freedom) put both two ducks on the pond by finding her way onto second with a hit. Tagawa brought in Whitacre with a sacrifice fly and
Sydney Boudreaux (Pearland, Texas / Shadow Creek) didn't leave the duck on the pond as she squeezed a single through the left side for an RBI. Trinity goes up 5-2. Nugent shut the door for the next two innings and TU took the series opener 5-2.
Game Two - Tigers 8, Ladies 7
The final game of the doubleheader started shaky as Centenary put up two runs in the bottom of the first. The good guys clapped back with a run of their own with a bases-loaded RBI walk by Tagawa. CC put three more runs in the bottom of the second and it was time for the Tigers to claw back. In the fourth,
Marina Delaluna (Concord, California / Concord) and
Peyton Bowser (Arvada, Colorado / West) were standing in scoring position for the scolding-hot Tagawa. Sammi smashed a ball to right center, scoring two and Trinity brought the game to within one.
In the very next inning, coaches
Bailey Wittenauer and
Jazmyne Cortinas got their team fired up and ready to take the lead. Nugent got it started with a single up the middle. Delaluna bunted her over and Nugent took advantage of the out-of-position defense and put the tying run just 60 feet away. A dirt ball kicked away from the Centenary catcher and Nugent slid in to tie the game at five apiece. Bowser and Whitacre both walked to force the Ladies to bring in a new arm. That didn't affect Tagawa, however, as she hit a ball the other way for a two-out RBI and the Tigers took the lead 6-5.
The final inning was a doozy. Delaluna singled with one out. Arce pinch ran and immediately put herself on second base via the steal. Whitacre slapped a ball to short and her wheels made the Centenary middle infielder nervous to force an arid throw and Trinity scored another on the misplay. Whitacre used her speed again to steal second and advance to third on another CC error. Baltzell took the very next pitch for a ride for an RBI single and Trinity had an 8-5 lead heading into the final half. Centenary threatened by putting up two runs late but some stellar defense by Williams and Watson secured back-to-back wins for TU. Trinity wins 8-7.
On Deck
The Tigers will finish their series against Centenary tomorrow at noon. With a win, Trinity will secure a second-place seeding for the SCAC tournament and a first-round bye.
