Feb. 14, 2003

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack softball team moved to 5-7 on the year after splitting a pair of games on the opening day of the University of Houston Cougar Classic at Cougar Field, Friday. SFA beat Pittsburgh, 6-5 in the opener, then dropped a 4-3 decision to Northern Iowa in game two.

The 'Jacks scored six runs on five hits against the Panthers in the opener with leadoff hitter Carrie Woydziak swinging a big bat for the 'jacks. Woydziak was 1-3 on the afternoon with a solo home run, while second baseman Meryl McGuire went 2-3 with a run batted in. Lee Lara also added a hit in four trips with an RBI for SFA.

Nicole Carter started and went three innings giving up one earned run while striking out three. Traci Moore eventually came on in relief and worked four innings allowing one run on three hits in picking up the win. SFA managed to push a run across in the eighth inning to win its second extra inning game of the young season.

The SFA bats picked up a little bit in the second game recording ten hits against Northern Iowa, but could not overcome three first inning runs as UNI handed SFA a 4-3 loss in the second game of the day.

Traci Moore started, but did not get out of the first inning, giving up three runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning. Crissy Autry came on in relief and worked 5.1 innings, allowing only a single run in the bottom of the sixth inning. That run was the game winner however as SFA left nine runners on base and fell 4-3. Autry took the loss to fall to 3-4 on the year.

Woydziak was 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI against UNI in the leadoff spot, while McGuire also went 2-4 with a triple, a run scored and another RBI. Brooke Chandler also went 3-3 in game two with a double and a run scored on the afternoon.

SFA plays two games tomorrow, wrapping up the two day event with games against the University of Houston and Texas Southern.