April 14, 2006

Final Stats

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' softball team swept a double-header with ASC West Division opponent, Concordia-Austin, winning the two games by scores of, 14-7, 13-5 (5), on Friday afternoon at Cowgirl Field.

The Cowgirls took advantage of Senior Day, in which Nicole Cortez, the lone senior on the team was honored for her achievements on and off the field as a leader for the softball team.

In the first game, Concordia-Austin jumped off to an early lead putting up a tally in the first frame when Cara Patranella singled in Ashley Bolton. The Cowgirls came right back with a run in the bottom half of the inning when they had four hits and Lydia Bradley's single doing the damage, scoring Courtney Stewert.

Cortez continued to light it up from the plate when her single to right field to score Katy Chester, who reached base on a single of her own. This gave the Cowgirls a 2-1 advantage.

HSU added two more tallies in the third on a Cricket Criner double to left field to score Sadye Hill and Bradley. The Cowgirls had a four-run outburst in the fourth inning. Arin Spence, who had another big day at the plate, had a double to knock in Nicole Espinoza. With two runners on, Bradley hit a towering shot over the left field fence for her second long ball on the year and to give the Cowgirls an 8-1 advantage.

The Tornadoes came right back with four runs on their own in the top-half of the fifth. With Espinoza replacing Spence, Concordia-Austin had three hits, with one of those hits doing the most damage. Casey Maloy hit a long home run to left field for a grand slam which cut the Cowgirl lead to three.

After HSU's Chester scored in the next inning to make it a 9-5 advantage, CUA put two more runs on the board to tighten the game. The Cowgirls put the game out of reach at their next at-bat putting five runs on the board. Chester, Cortez and Stewert all had run-producing singles, with Cortez and Stewert having two RBI's each in the inning.

Spence only gave up one run in four innings pitched, while striking out three and giving up four hits, to get the win and move to 13-3 on the season. Katy Winkler was solid in relief giving up one run in two innings of work.

In the second game the Cowgirls started off with a Spence home run to left center, her fourth long ball of the series. After Concordia-Austin tied the game HSU tallied two more runs in the bottom of second with run-producing singles from Miranda Rousset and Cortez.

Although the Cowgirls held the lead for four innings, Concordia-Austin four runs in the fifth frame to take a 5-4 advantage. This lead did not last long for the Tornadoes as HSU had nine runs to take a 13-5 advantage and to end the game due to run-rule.

The nine run fifth inning was highlighted by Cortez's three-run home run. The senior sure did not fail to impress on her special day as she went 5-8 with seven RBI's, two runs scored, and a home run. Rousset also had three RBI's in the fifth with a base-clearing double while the bases were loaded.

Spence (14-3) earned the win as she pitched all five innings, with only one of the runs earned and striking out five.

The Cowgirls improved to 22-8 on the year and 16-4 in ASC play. While Concordia-Austin dropped to 14-23 and 12-12 in conference action. HSU returns to action when the travel to Forney on Tuesday to play two games against East Texas Baptist, first-pitch set to take place at 5 p.m.

--- HSU Athletics ---