MCPHERSON, KS - Texas Wesleyan Softball (19-23, 14-12 SAC) got over the .500 hump in conference play Tuesday with 5-3 and 11-0 road wins over Central Christian (11-28, 5-20 SAC), the Lady Rams' fourth shutout this month.
Lacy Mann struck out six allowing six hits in the Game 2 stifling of the Tigers' offense. TXWES' defense stranded nine runners on base, at least one every inning. It didn't take long for the Lady Rams' offense to get going.
In the top of the first,
Hailey Hollingsworth reached on a walk and then stole second.
Kylie Summers doubled to switch places with lead-off Hollingsworth before
Bailey Terry happened. Terry hit a two-run home run over the left field fence on a 1-2 count - a 3-0 early lead at that point.
Taylor Sutton later scored in the inning on an
Ashton Davis single.Â
In the top of the 6th, Terry struck again. To the left, to the left once again, Terry belted a three-run homer bringing in
Savannah Brixey (single) and
Chyann Jarrett (single), who were one out away from being stranded.
It was Terry's first game this season with multiple home runs. The program's all-time home run hitter is up to 10 in her senior season and up to 38 in 197 career starts.
The Lady Rams scored four insurance runs in the seventh. In all, TXWES put 17 balls successfully in play, tying their output against Bacone four days ago.
Jarrett finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a RBI while teammates Brixey and Davis each were 2-for-3 driving in a run. Sutton crossed home twice while hitting 3-for-4.
GAME 1
The Lady Rams needed late-game heroics to come back in the early game. Down 3-2 in the top of the 6th, Sutton singled again - through the hole at shortstop. Hollingsworth reached on a walk. Enter
Darian Dunn.
Dunn - who had one hit on seven at-bats before facing the Tigers today - drilled a triple down the left-field line, giving the Lady Rams the lead. Dunn was 2-for-4 in the second game, her first multi-hit game of her three seasons in a Ram uniform.Â
With the lift from Dunn, the top of the seventh brought more positive efforts. Terry singled past the shortstop and a misplay in the outfield helped
Saeya Esparza get around and home.
Makenna Aycock got the win with seven strikeouts, giving up five hits with just two walks.
WHAT'S NEXT
Texas Wesleyan faces Central Christian for two more games Wednesday afternoon in McPherson. The Lady Rams have made it through 10 of the 14 games on this April road trip with a 6-4 record. It's the longest road trip among data readily available in the last 13 years - four games longer than a 10-game road stretch in 2015.
Softball returns to Sycamore Park April 26.
