GEORGETOWN, Texas - A consistent offensive presence and strong pitching on the mound gave the Pirates their second consecutive sweep at home with a 7-3, 4-0 win over Our Lady of the Lake University on Tuesday afternoon. The win improves Southwestern to 8-6 on the year while OLLU falls to 3-9.
The Pirates were first on the board in the first when Kaitlyn Pavlicek hit the gap between short and third, driving a hustling Taylor Turpin in from second base.
Two consecutive hit batters put runners on the bags for SU with no outs and Jacquelin Rosson advanced to third on an infield fielder's choice by Pavlicek and Haley Hughes brought the run in on a single to right center in the third.
OLLU tied the game up in the fourth on a two out, two RBI double by Worrell and after a Pirate error allowed one more to score, bringing the count to 3-2 through three and a half.
Southwestern got back down to work offensively in the sixth inning, scoring five runs on four hits and one Saint error to put the Pirates up by four, 7-3, with one inning to play.
Starting pitcher Lyndsy Maus earned the complete game win with continued strong pitching in the top of the seventh, forcing batters into routine pop flys and grounders and scattering two hits to close out the game. Maus allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits while striking out six and walking none to earn her third win of the season.
Abi O'Connor (pictured) led the way at the plate in game one, going 2-2 with one RBI and 1 run scored. Hughes had a 2-4 game with one RBI while Pavlicek recorded two RBI's.
Southwestern had the first real chance to score of the second game after two Saint errors put runners at the corners with no outs. An arrant throw on an attempt to pickoff Hughes at third allowed the first run of the game to cross the plate for the Pirates.
SU added to their count in the bottom of the third when Turpin reached on a single to start the inning and stole second with two outs. Pavlicek's double to right center rolled to the wall and allowed ample time for Turpin to score, pushing SU's lead to two, 2-0.
Hughes added two more runs to the board with a two out double to right-center, bringing in Rosson from second and a hustling Pavlicek around from first to put the Pirates up by four, 4-0.
Southwestern wrapped up the game with three up, three down in the top of the seventh to seal the 4-0 win for starting pitcher Lauren Zearfoss. Zearfoss earned the complete game shutout by scattering four hits while striking out 10 and walking none.
Offensively, Turpin and Pavlicek led the way with two hits each while Hughes drove in a team high two RBI's.
The Pirates have an off weekend from action and return to the field on March 8th to face Concordia University in Austin beginning at 5pm.