ETBU Hands Texas Lutheran First Loss at NCAA Softball Regionals

ETBU Hands Texas Lutheran First Loss at NCAA Softball Regionals

(Photo courtesy of Texas-Tyler Sports Information)
(Portions of this story courtesy of Texas Lutheran University) 

TYLER, Texas - Sixth-ranked East Texas Baptist limited Texas Lutheran to three hits and handed the Bulldogs a 3-0 defeat Saturday at the NCAA Division III Softball Regional in Tyler, Texas.

TLU dropped to 1-1 in the regional while ETBU moved to 1-0 in the tournament. Saturday's game was a continuation of Friday's game that was called due to lighning and rain after one-half inning of play.

ETBU reliever Shelby Parker inherited a bases-loaded jam with two outs in the second inning and worked out of trouble with a strikeout. Parker pitched the remaining 5-1/3 innings, struck out eight and allowed just two hits. She improved to 20-5.

Alyssa Romero doubled for the Tigers in the third to drive home Jayme Perez, who doubled in the preceding at-bat. The Tigers added two runs in the fourth on a single from Katy Hill.

TLU freshman right-hander Samantha Yenne started for TLU and took the loss. Yenne fell to 8-3. Bulldog reliever Amanda Lochte tossed three shutout innings to keep TLU close. Lochte surrendered two hits and struck out two.

No Bulldog had more than one hit. Grace Estes, Taylor Yancey, and Heather Hummel each singled for TLU.

The Bulldogs and Tigers will meet again at 1 p.m. Sunday in the Regional Final. ETBU defeated UT-Tyler later on in the day, 4-1, to eliminate the Patriots and move one game away from the NCAA Super Regional. Texas Lutheran will have to defeat the Tigers two times tomorrow to move onto the next round.

All TLU games Sunday will have live video on tlubulldogs.com. A link to the live stats (provided by UT-Tyler) can be found on tlubulldogs.com.