Softball demolishes Ozarks, hurdle Tigers in ASC standings

A four game sweep over the University of the Ozarks puts the University’s softball team closer to earning a spot in the American Southwest Conference tournament April 29-May 1.

The Patriots defeated the Eagles 8-0 and 13-5 Friday night; 15-3 and 17-1 Saturday afternoon.
Game one Friday night was the Joey Cronin and Stacy Shepherd show.

Cronin doubled to lead of the game and scored on a ground out by Whitney Wyly. She then tripled in a run in the third inning and scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Patriots added three in the fourth on a hit by Allison Hurt and a sacrifice fly, and one run in the fifth and seventh inning.

Shepherd continued his dominance in the circle, allowing only two hits and striking out seven in a complete game effort to improve to 14-0 on the season.

The Patriots scored in all seven inning of game two on Friday.

Cronin singled and scored in the first. Hurt walked and scored on a hit by Megan Hutson in the second. Hutson later scored on a double by Whitney Haynes.

Ashley Klores, above, and the Patriots softball team moved into second place in the American Southwest Conference East Division after a four game sweep over the University of the Ozarks. The Patriots are scheduled to play the division leaders, Louisiana College, at 4 p.m. Thursday. Photo by Clay Ihlo.

Wyly doubled to begin the third and scored on a single by Brittanni Hanna. Hutson led off the fourth with a single and later scored on a hit by Cronin. Haynes scored in the innings on an error.

The Patriots added a run in the fifth and left three on base.
Ozarks fought back in the fourth and fifth to cut the Patriots lead to two. Morgan Goates doubled to start the bottom of the fifth.

Goates scored on a double by Sarah Otteman, who later scored in an Ali Mathis to make the score 7-5.

The Patriots quickly answered by scoring five runs in the sixth. Wyly hit a solo home run to get the ball rolling. Hutson capped the inning off with a three run home run of her own.

Shepherd shut the door on the Eagles in the sixth and seventh to close out the game.

Kimber Bossom received her 13th win of the season, allowing three runs in 3.2 innings of work.

Both games Saturday were called after five innings.
The Patriots scored two runs in the first on a passed ball and a sacrifice fly, and eight runs in the second inning. Cronin, Wyly, Hutson, Howell, Haynes and Rachael Roeten drove in runs in the inning.

Ozarks answered with three runs in the bottom of the second, but the Patriots put the game out of reach in the fourth with five more runs.

Howell homered after a double by Hutson. Roeten, Cronin and Julie Smith scored unearned runs later in the inning.

Shepherd improved to 15-0 with the victory, pitching just 2.2 innings.

The Patriots scored seven runs in the second inning of game two on four hits and two errors. Hurt, Rachel Howell, Haynes and Cronin all picked up RBI’s in the inning. Wyly capped off the inning with a three run home run.

Cronin and Haynes each added a RBI in the third, and again Wyly finished the inning with a three run home run.

The Patriots then scored three in the fourth and two in the fifth.

The Eagles failed to get within 10 after the fifth inning, causing the officials to end the game.

Tillery earned her first win of the season, allowing four hits in five innings of work.

The Patriots four win over the weekend boosted them to second in the conference behind Louisiana College. East Texas Baptist fell to third after dropping two games to Louisiana College on Saturday.

The Patriots are scheduled for their final three doubleheaders this week, beginning with a trip to LeTourneau on Tuesday.
Louisiana College comes to town Thursday, followed by Mississippi College on Saturday. Games on Thursday begin at 4 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday.