SAN ANTONIO – Lubbock Christian upset and Texas A&M International won extra-inning marathon’s to highlight day one of the 2019 Heartland Conference softball championship.
#4 Lubbock Christian def. #5 Texas A&M International 6-5 - Box Score
Lubbock Christian picked up an opening win in the tournament after holding off a furious Texas A&M International rally. The Dustdevils jumped out to an early 1-0 lead following an RBI single from Lindsey Smith in the first inning.
The Lady Chaps answered with three runs in the first and the second innings to take a commanding 6-1 lead after just two innings. Outfielder K’leigh Arredondo drew a pair of bases loaded walks to bring in two of LCU’s six runs. Arredondo went 0-1 with two RBI and two walks in the game.
The Dustdevils rallied in the fifth ringing off three runs led by a Smith RBI double that brought home Maddison Schofield. Heather Ruiz’s single later in the inning brought Smith across after a throwing error from center field and TAMIU added a third run on an Erin Mosley RBI groundout.
Amber Carlton came on in the fifth for starter Jordan Wehr and didn’t allow a run over the final 2.2 innings of the game to seal the win for LCU.
#2 Oklahoma Christian def. #3 Rogers State 6-0 - Box Score
Oklahoma Christian freshman Kali Crandall was dominant in the circle in the Lady Eagles’ opening game of the tournament tossing a complete-game two-hit shutout against Rogers State in game two of the tournament.
Crandall faced seven batters over the minimum as she rung up 12 strikeouts tying her career high set earlier this season.
Crandall was matched early on in the game by RSU ace and Heartland Pitcher of the Year Andrea Morales who allowed just two hits through the first three innings of the game.
In the fourth, OC opened the scoring getting an RBI single from Kayla Eichler followed by an RBI single from Bailey Strecker. Bridget White added to the lead in the fifth with an RBI triple to give the Lady Eagles a 4-0 lead. Brie Dunckel’s two-RBI single in the sixth put the game out of reach for the defending tournament champions.
OC’s win put the Lady Eagles in the winner’s bracket final on Friday.
#4 Lubbock Christian def. #1 St. Mary’s 2-1 (8) - Box Score
In LCU’s second game of the day the Lady Chaps held the St. Mary’s offense in check as Carlton pitched a seven-inning gem allowing just one unearned run to the tournament hosts. Lubbock Christian’s Alivia Villarreal’s RBI groundout in the eighth inning proved the decisive run in the win.
LCU starter Amber Carlton pitched well again in her second appearance of the day scattering five hits and allowing just one unearned run in seven innings of work. Wehr picked up the win coming on in relief to closeout the game in the eighth.
St. Mary’s starter Staci Johns pitched well for the Rattlers to give StMU a chance allowing the two earned runs on six hits over 7.2 innings of work. Johns struck out a game-high six LCU batters.
Arredondo went 3-for-4 and scored the first run for LCU, while Lindzi Clemmer went 2-for-4 and and scored the game-winning run in the eight. The win put LCU in the winner’s bracket final tomorrow.
#5 Texas A&M International def. #3 Rogers State 3-2 (8) - Box Score
In the final game of the day, Texas A&M International avoided elimination thanks to a massive walk-off home run from the bat of Lindsey Smith in the eighth inning. The Dustdevils had to rally again after falling behind 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
RSU got an RBI single from Allie McFetridge in the third inning to tag TAMIU starter Jenika Lombrana with the first run of the game. Catcher Abigail Taylor added an insurance run with an RBI single in the sixth for the Hillcats.
In the bottom half of the inning, TAMIU used a leadoff double from Maya Paul to kickoff the two-run rally. Morgan Chavarria’s RBI single brought Paul across the plate and was followed up with an RBI single from Schofield to tie the game.
In the extra inning, Smith turned a 1-2 count around with one swing launching the first home run of the tournament to dead center field giving the Dustdevils a tournament win in the first elimination game for the second-straight season.