Lions fall twice at HCU, control their own destiny in season finale

HOUSTON – Despite dropping two one-run contests to the HCU Huskies on Friday afternoon via scores of 2-1 and 3-2, respectively, at the Husky Field, the East Texas A&M University softball team controls its own destiny to clinch a postseason berth going into the final day of the season.
 
The Lions fell to 9-40 on the season and 5-21 in Southland Conference play, while the Huskies clinched the seventh seed in next week’s Southland Conference Tournament by improving to 17-30 on the season and 10-16 in SLC action.
 

East Texas A&M and A&M-Corpus Christi are tied for eighth place in the SLC standings going into Saturday’s season finale for both teams. The Lions own the tiebreaker over the Islanders and need either a win over the Huskies or a loss by the Islanders at Northwestern State to clinch a spot into the eight-team conference tournament.
 
Game One: HCU 2, EAST TEXAS A&M 1
On the second pitch of the game, Tatum Wright (Frisco – Centennial) drilled her tenth home run of the season, putting the Lions ahead in the game.
 
Chloe Foster doubled down the right field line to lead off the bottom of the third for the Huskies. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jaycee Foor and came around to score on an infield RBI single by Jocelyn Briseno.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Maddy Bailey drilled a solo home run to right center, putting the Huskies ahead. The Lions left five runners on base, while the Huskies left seven.
 
Both Charli Anger (Lubbock – Cooper) and KK Cosek (Helendale, Calif.) collected two hits each for the Lions in the game. In the heart of the HCU order, Bailey, Hanna York, and Ella Herrewig went 2 for 3 each in the game.
 
Kate Houser (Lorena) took the loss for the Lions, surrendering two earned runs in the complete game loss, while Cara Pitman allowed seven hits and struck out four, but the only earned run on allowed on her ledger was the home run to Wright.
 
Game Two: HCU 3, EAST TEXAS A&M 2
Haylie Savage was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the first for HCU. Heidi Maytum reached on a fielder’s choice as the Lions tagged out Savage at second on the play. Karlie Barba followed with a double down the left field line as Maytum came around to score, while Barba also scored on the play due to a Lion throwing error.
 
Wright hit second solo home run of the day and 11^th on the season as she brought the Lions within one in the fourth inning.
 
In the top of the seventh, Anger doubled to left center and came around to score to tie the game as Emma Rodrigues (Little Elm – John Paul II) reached on a throwing error. The Lions left two runners on base to end the inning and left six on base in the game.
 
Herrewig reached on a throwing error by the Lions on a bunt to lead off the bottom of the seventh. After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Morris, the Lions forced a strikeout and were strike away from sending the game into extra innings, but Briseno singled up the middle to plate Herrewig and walk it off for HCU.
 
Wright had two hits in the game for the Lions, while Briseno went 2 for 3 for the Huskies. Julia Sanchez (The Kinkaid School) tossed 6.2 innings in the loss, being charged for just one earned run. Leah Hammack allowed two earned runs in the complete game win for the Huskies.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions and the Huskies end the regular season at noon on Saturday.

 

-ETAMU-