KERRVILLE, Texas -- Trinity exploded for five runs in the fifth inning to cruise to a 6-0 win over cinderella Schreiner University to punch their ticket into the SCAC Softball Championship Game against Texas Lutheran University. Official Website l Interactive Bracket l Lauren Mercado Interview l Head Coach Brandi Crnkovic Interview
Katie Castillon was brilliant in the circle, pitching 7.0 innings, allowing no runs on only three hits while striking out one in the contest.
Offensively, the fifth inning was the big inning for Trinity (18-17, 10-6 SCAC) as the big bats of Caitlynn Dykes and Lauren Mercado each homered to turn a 1-0 lead into a 6-0 lead.
After a sac fly from Hilary Hoffman, Dykes stepped to the plate and belted one over the left field fence to make it a 3-0 lead. After a single by Brittany Haby, Mercado came to the plate and hit maybe the longest homerun so far at this tournament, bombing a two run shot to straight center.
It was all Castillon needed from there, shutting down the Mountaineers the rest of the way to each a rematch against defending champion Texas Lutheran.
Earlier in the day, the Tigers dropped heartbreaker to the Bulldogs in extra innings.
Mercado finished 2-for-3 with a double, homerun, and two RBI while Dykes was 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored.
For Schreiner, Lori Espinoza, who had been so good throughout the tournament, took the loss, allowing six runs on 10 hits.
Samantha Cordon and Espinoza led the way offensively as they both had doubles in the contest.
Trinity goes on to face TLU in the championship game for the second straight year. The Tigers will need to take two from the Bulldogs to claim the 2015 SCAC Softball Championship. Meanwhile, Schreiner's magical tournament comes to an end as they finished with a 10-31 record including three wins in the championship.