DANVILLE, Ky. – The Trinity University softball opened its final weekend of the regular season by splitting a Southern Athletic Association doubleheader with Centre College (KY) on Saturday, winning 10-2 in six innings after falling 5-2 in the opener.
The Tigers (27-9-1, 13-4 SAA) and the Colonels (13-7, 6-11) will finish off the series tomorrow, with Trinity needing a win the clinch the SAA Regular Season Championship and the top seed at next weekend's SAA Tournament. Centre took a 5-0 lead through four innings of game one, holding Trinity to just three hits to start the series. The Tigers came back with 10 runs on 12 hits in the second game, using a seven-run third inning to take control of the game and earn the DH split.
Hannah Boudreaux (Pearland, Texas / Shadow Creek) had a solo homer in the opening game, with
Angela Baltzell (Antioch, Calif. / Freedom) going 1-for-3 with one RBI as well.
Hannah Flores (San Antonio, Texas / Taft) had Trinity's only other hit of the game – a pinch-hit single in the seventh inning.
Josephine Koelewyn (Reno, Nev. / Academy of Arts Careers and Technology) was charged with the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in 2.1 innings, and falling to 15-5 this season.
Jordan Arce (Thousand Oaks, Calif. / Thousand Oaks) struck out four batters in relief, but also gave up two runs on three hits over 2.2 innings.
Cameron Bishop (Austin, Texas / Austin) finished off the game by retiring all three batters she faced in the sixth inning.
Megan Kriechbaum (Cedar Hills, Utah / Pleasant Grove) struck out nine batters in 5.0 innings of game two, earning the win to improve to 10-4 this season. Kriechbaum allowed two runs on four hits before giving way to Bishop out of the Tiger bullpen. Bishop once again closed out the game, giving up just one hit and stranding two runners in the bottom of the sixth to end the game on a run-rule. Baltzell led Trinity with three hits in game two, adding another RBI and two runs scored. Boudreaux was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and her second RBI of the day, while
Samantha Tagawa (Agoura Hills, Calif. / Agoura) and
Ella Whitacre (Roanoke, Texas / Byron Nelson) both went 2-for-4 in game two. Whitacre scored once and drove in another, and Tagawa had two RBI and two runs scored.
The Rundown
Trinity started off by putting two of the first three runners of the game on base, beginning with a one-out double by Baltzell, but Centre escaped without any damage to set the tone for the first game. The Colonels then produced a two-out RBI single to take the 1-0 lead after the first inning. The Tigers stranded two more runners in the second, then Centre padded the lead with two more runs in the third. The home team made it 5-0 with a two-run fourth inning to take full control of the scoreboard. Boudreaux hit a solo homer in the fifth to break up the shutout but an inning-ending double play stopped the rally before it got going. Trinity loaded the bases in the seventh with just one out, but after scoring on a fielder's choice by Baltzell, the Tigers left the tying run at the plate to end the game.
The Tigers stranded runners in each of the first two innings of game two and Centre took advantage in the bottom of the second. The Colonels scored on a passed ball to pick up an unearned run and take a 1-0 lead. Trinity's offense finally came to life in a big way in the third inning, scoring seven runs on six hits. Whitacre got things started with a one-out double and came home two pitches later as Boudreaux doubled to tie the game. Baltzell made it three straight doubles and a 2-1 lead for the Tigers.
Carsyn Lee (Flower Mound, Texas / Flower Mound) followed with the fourth straight hit of the inning and a 3-1 lead. Trinity loaded the bases after that with a single from Tagawa and a walk to Koelewyn. Lee scored on a passed ball but Flores walked to reload the bases, then an error made it a 5-1 game. Whitacre followed with an infield single and two more runs came across to make it 7-1. Centre's answer in the bottom of the inning wasn't nearly enough as the home team added just one run.
Kriechbaum and Bishop shut Centre down the rest of the game, allowing just two hits the rest of the way. Trinity added three more runs in the top of the sixth to set up the run-rule, beginning with a leadoff single from Boudreaux. A double by Baltzell put two on with no outs and Tagawa brought both runners in two batters later with a double of her own. She later scored on an error to make it 10-2. Centre mustered a single and an error in a bid to extend the game in the sixth, but Bishop finished off the win with a ground ball to the infield.
Up Next
Trinity and Centre will close out the series and the regular season with a single game tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
