WAXAHACHIE, Texas – The Mid-America Christian University softball team headed south to open a crucial road trip in the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Lady Evangels played the first two games of a four game weekend in the Lone Star State, and thanks to a strong pitching effort all day, they took an important sweep.
MACU (23-9, 8-6 SAC) got great efforts in the circle from Regan Martin in game one, and Larie Amos and Caitlin Butler in the second tilt, as the Lady Evangels swept Southwestern Assemblies of God University (19-15-1, 10-8 SAC) by scored of 1-0 and 4-3.
MACU pushed across a run in the top of the second inning. Amos and Hannah Salmon led off the inning with consecutive singles, putting runners at first and third with nobody out. Amos trotted home to score as Salmon swiped second base and the ball kicked away from SAGU's Morgan Valentino. That run proved to be enough for Regan Martin.
Martin (8-2) flirted with danger at times, but she made the pitches she needed to make all afternoon. She did not work a clean inning after her team got the lead, but the freshman from Sheridan, Arkansas stranded the tying run in scoring position in the second, third, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, as MACU took the win, 1-0.
Martin fired her fourth shutout of the season, pitching all seven innings and allowing only four hits, though she did walk five, with six strikeouts. Rachel Ray (9-6) took the loss in the complete game effort. She allowed just one unearned run on seven hits, she walked one, and she struck out six Lady Evangels.
Amos was 2-for-2 in the game with a double, a walk, and a run scored; and Salmon singled twice in three at bats. Ribbin Anderson, Courtney Hickman, and Amber O'Bryant each also had hits in the game.
Anderson reached on an error to lead off game two, and she came around to score on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Hanna Harris. The Lions tied the game in the bottom of the first, on an unearned run, but MACU surged in front again in the top of the second. Larissa Tate reached on an error with two outs in the inning, and she later scored on a single from Kortney Brown to put MACU on top 2-1.
The score remained the same into the top of the fourth when Salmon and Amos notched consecutive RBI singles on which they advanced to second on a throw to the plate, as MACU pushed their lead to 4-1.
SAGU plated an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth frame, but Amos stranded the tying runs on base to preserve the lead. Amos moved to first base in the bottom of the sixth, giving way to Caitlin Butler in the circle. Butler surrendered a run on a leadoff single and a one out double. The Lions tried to squeeze the tying run home, but Salmon fielded the bunt from Rosie Guadarrama and tagged Reianha Cano out trying to score to keep the Lady Evangels ahead 4-3. The Lions put a runner aboard with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Butler induced a pop up and a groundout to preserve the win for the Lady Evangels, 4-3.
Amos (7-2) pitched five innings and gave up two unearned runs on two hits and four walks with two strikeouts to earn the win. Casey Waterman (6-7) took the loss, and she allowed four runs – two earned – on seven hits one walk and one strikeout in five innings of work. Butler (2) gave up one earned run on four hits in two innings to earn the save.
Anderson and Salmon each had two singles in the game, along with a run scored, and Salmon added an RBI. Brown, Amos, and Harris each had a hit and a Run Batted In, with Harris notching the only extra base knock of the game for MACU – a double in the seventh. Tate had a hit and two runs scored, and Jessica Johnson also singled in the game.
MACU will face another tough test on Saturday as they head to Texas Wesleyan University (28-10, 14-2 SAC) for a double header. First pitch is scheduled for Noon.
