'Roo Softball Dominant in SCAC-Opening Doubleheader

IRVING, Texas - The Austin College softball team exploded for 20 runs across two games on Saturday as they opened up the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference portion of the schedule, defeating Dallas 11-0 and 9-1 in a pair of road games. The 'Roos are now 6-6 on the year.

Carrie Johnson knocked in a run in the top of the first to put Austin College ahead 1-0, and Lyndsey Busch scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 in the third. Kaitlyn Barrett doubled in a run to extend the lead to 3-0 in the fifth, and the 'Roos would erupt for eight runs in the top of the seventh to put the game away. Barrett singled home a run to get things started and Calleigh King followed that up with a run-scoring hit of her own, before Joli Kirkpatrick and Elizabeth Preston each brought home a run to make it 7-0.

Busch brought two more runs home to push it to a 9-0 game, and Johnson plated one more run to make it a double-digit margin. Chyrsi Hemby scored on a passed ball for the final run of the inning and the game for Austin College, making it 11-0. Hailie Swiatkowski took a no-hitter into the fourth, finishing the game giving up no runs on just two hits in 5.0 innings of work, and King earned the save. Hemby finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, and Busch, Barrett, and Johnson each drove in two runs.

Busch got the scoring started in game two with an RBI single in the first, and the 'Roos plated six runs in the second to blow the game open early. Kalee Rush brought home the first run and Preston drove in the next, before Busch had a 2-run single to make it a 5-0 game. A sacrifice fly by Hemby made it 6-0, and Busch scored on an error to cap the big offensive inning for the 'Roos.

The Crusaders got their only run of the day in the bottom of the second to make it a 7-1 game, but Allie Jeter brought home one run in the third and another in the fifth to make it a 9-1 game, ending things early via the run-rule. Jeter got the win for Austin College as well, giving up one run on just one hit in a complete game effort. Busch was 3-for-3 with three RBI and Preston was 2-for-3.

The 'Roos and Crusaders wrap up their series on Sunday with a pair of games beginning at noon.