Softball knocks off LC, wins division title

Three doubleheader sweeps last week clinched the American Southwest Conference East Division championship for the University’s softball team.

The Patriots ended the week defeating #1 ranked Louisiana College 4-3 and 7-4 Thursday, and Mississippi College 9-2 and 8-2 on Saturday.
Thursday

The Patriots struck first in game one. Joey Cronin reached base by being hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Julie Smith moved Cronin to second on a sacrifice bunt, which led to Brittanni Hanna’s single that allowed Cronin to score.

Louisiana College answered in the top of the second. Aimee Dubroc hit a one out single and advanced to second on a walk by Amber Thomas. Allison Frye took advantage and singled to left, knocking in Dubroc.

Amanda Busby sets throw to first over third baseman Allison Hurt in the Patriots 8-2 victory over Mississippi College on Saturday. Photo by Clay Ihlo.

Pitching took over for the next three innings. Patriots’ Stacy Shepherd and Wildcats’ Rene’ Schwartzenburg combined to allow one hit and five strikeouts in the innings 3-5.

The two squads traded two runs in the sixth inning. Montagnino hit a one out double and later scored on a single by Clement to start things for the Wildcats in the inning. Clement scored on Eastham’s single to left field.

Whitney Haynes led of the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to left field to cut the Wildcats’ lead to one. Cronin followed with a walk and tied the game on a single by Hanna.

Kimber Bossom, who entered the game in the sixth for Shepherd, shut down the Wildcats in the seventh.

Haynes drew a two out walk and scored the winning run on a single by Cronin.

Bossom received the win for the Patriots. Schwartenburg took her second loss of the season, falling to 20-2 on the year.

Neither team created much offense in the first three innings of game two. The Wildcats scored first, pushing across a run in the top of the fourth on a hit by Montagnino.

The Patriots responded by scoring five runs in the bottom of the inning. Hanna doubled to lead off the inning. Megan Hutson followed with a walk and moved to second on a bunt by Amanda Busby. Kirstin Anderson, who came in to pinch run for Hanna, moved to third on the play.

Ashley Klores later singled in Anderson and Hutson to give the Patriots the lead. Two batters later, Joey Cronin hit a three run home run to give the Patriots a 5-1 lead.

Louisiana College cut the lead to one in the fifth. Frye, Mary Alice Roy and Montagnino all picked up RBIs hits in the inning.

The Patriots got back two run in the sixth. Hanna knocked in her third and fourth runs of the day, scoring Smith and Cronin.

M’ Lynn Tillery earned her third win of the season, allowing four runs on three hits in 4.1 innings of work.

Shepherd pitched the final 1.2 innings to receive her third save of the year.

Hanna finished the evening with four hits and four runs batted in.

Saturday

The Patriots picked up where they left off with Hanna driving in Cronin in the first inning of game one against Mississippi College.

Cronin picked up a free RBI in the second, drawing a walk with the bases loaded. Whitney Wyly knocked in two more runs in the inning with single to center. Haynes and Allison Hurt scored on the play.

Mississippi College posted a run on the board in the top of the third. Rachel Hurley drove in Jennifer Jones, who reached base on an error.

The Patriots responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Hutson led off with a solo home run. Busby and Klores followed with walks, and later scored on a single by Cronin.

Neither team scored until the sixth inning. Hurley scored the Choctaws second run on a fielder’s choice.

Rachel Howell drove in the Patriots’ final two runs in the bottom of the inning on a single to left. Hutson and Hanna scored on the play.

Shepherd closed the game in the seventh to earn her 17th win of the season. She pitched a complete game, allowed one earned run on five hits and struck out five.

Hanna continued her hitting terror in the first inning of game two with a three run home, which scored Cronin and Wyly.

Mississippi College cut the Patriots lead to one in the fourth inning. Back-to-back singles by Hurley and Sarah Finch and a groundout set up Reagan Jackson for a two RBI single.

Cronin erased those runs with a three run home run in the bottom of the inning, scoring Haynes and Anderson.

The Patriots added a run in the fifth and sixth inning. Hanna and Hurt picked up the RBI’s.

Tillery picked up her fourth win of the season. She allowed two runs on six hits in a complete game effort.

The six wins during the week improved the Patriots to 35-5 on the season, 20-4 in ASC play.

Next up for the Patriots is the ASC tournament in Lewisville. The Patriots have a first round bye and will face the winner of Concordia University and East Texas Baptist at 11 a.m. April 29.