The University of Dallas softball squad traveled to Kerrville, Texas to take on Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) rival Schreiner University this past weekend. The teams played double headers on both Saturday and Sunday for a total of four games, but the Crusaders were unable to put one in the win column.
In game one on Saturday, the Crusaders fell behind early as Schreiner scored three runs in the second inning. Freshman second baseman Caitlyn Stevenson launched a two-run home run to put the Crusaders on the board. Dallas was within two runs heading into the sixth inning, but the Mountaineers pulled ahead 7-3. Junior team captain Mel Savala and freshman first baseman Gabbie Underwood led a late rally that scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but Dallas fell short and lost game one 7-5.
Game two featured an offensive eruption for the Mountaineers, as they scored thirteen runs in the game including nine in the first inning. The Schreiner pitching staff held the Crusaders scoreless, bringing the final score to 13-0 in five innings.
In game two, Savala extended her hitting streak to her the twelfth game and freshman center fielder Liz Cordova had a perfect day at the plate, going three for three.
The Crusaders looked for a fresh start on Sunday in their second double header of the weekend. Dallas fell behind early by 4-0, but brought the score closer by scoring three in the fourth inning. The runs produced by freshman catcher Katelyn Lazarek and sophomore left fielder Mackenzie Tano were the only successful offensive plays by UD in game three. The Mountaineers took the contest 11-3.
The final game on Sunday was the final loss of the series for the Crusaders, as they left Kerrville with an 8-3 defeat.
The Crusaders managed to gain their first lead of the series in game four, but seven runs by the Mountaineers put Dallas at a 7-2 deficit late in the game. Tano, Underwood, and freshman shortstop Alicia Enciso all drove in Dallas runs, scoring Stevenson, Cordova, and junior right fielder Tera Espinosa.
“We faced a lot of setbacks,” Savala said. “I think we did a great job of staying together as a team in the moments where it got hard for us. Schreiner is a tough team to beat but I think we fought pretty hard and we never gave up on each other.”
“Everyone held their own this weekend, and when someone was struggling, someone was there to pick them up,” Cordova added. “Not once did we hang our heads, we will practice hard to fix the things that didn’t work, and make the things that did work better.”
UD softball travels to Concordia University on April 11 for a double header, and will return home to Crusader Field on April 17 for a double header against LeTourneau University.
“Going into these games against Concordia, we know where we stand,” Savala said. “Our team has come a long way and we only continue to grow. It’s going to be an exciting week for sure.”
