SHREVEPORT, La. -- After spotting Schreiner an early run, Texas Lutheran scored runs in each of the first three innings and ended the game with five in the bottom of the fifth to earn a 10-2 victory in Friday winner's bracket play of the 2019 SCAC Softball Championship. Official Website l Bracket l Postgame Interview l Photo Gallery
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Schreiner plated a run in the top of the first after a two-out single by Rachel Brown and an RBI double by Gabriella Acuna.
- TLU responded with five runs in the next three innings, jumpstarted by two unearned runs in the bottom of the first. a two-run single by SCAC Player-of-the-Year Kelly Jurden followed with a two-run single in the second and last year's POTY, Cassie Roche, contributed an RBI single in the third.
- The Bulldogs scored five runs in the fifth to put the game away - highlighted by a home run by Sarah Metzer.
- Madisyn Cates and Jurden each had two RBI and Jurden was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and a stolen base.
- Kelsie Stone entered the game in the third inning, pitching the final three innings and allowing three hits and one earned run to pick up the win.
TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Kelly Jurden: 3-3, 2 RBI, 2 runs, 1 SB
- Madisyn Cates: 2-4, 2 RBI, 1 run,
- Cassie Roche: 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 runs, 1 SB
- Sarah Metzer: 1-1, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 runs
- Kelsie Stone: 3.0 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER
SCHREINER UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Gabriella Acuna: 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI
- Emma Tindell: 1-1, 1 RBI
NOTABLES
- The first inning run scored by Schreiner was the first time the Bulldogs have trailed in a SCAC tournament game since the championship game of the 2016 tournament (vs. Trinity). That game was also the last time TLU has given up a first-inning run in the conference championship.
- Friday's matchup was just the second between the two in SCAC tournament play since both joined the league prior to the 2014 season. TLU defeated Schreiner, 6-0, in a winner's bracket game in 2017.
- With the victory, 13th-ranked Texas Lutheran improves to 28-1 and has won seven straight games.
- Schreiner slips to 17-25 and heads into Saturday's elimination round with a 10 a.m. matchup against the University of Dallas awaiting them.
UP NEXT
Texas Lutheran advances to Saturday's SCAC tournament semifinal game, set for a 3 p.m. start against either No. 2 seed Southwestern or No. 3 seed Centenary. The 22nd-ranked Pirates and Ladies play Friday evening to determine TLU's semifinal opponent. Schreiner will play Dallas in an elimination game at 10 a.m. on Saturday.