KERRVILLE, Texas - The top-seeded Texas Lutheran University Bulldogs made it back-to-back SCAC Softball Championships as they scored seven unanswered runs to defeat second-seeded Trinity University, 7-1, on Sunday afternoon at Mountaineer Field on the campus of Schreiner University. Bracket | Official Tournament Website | Wade Wilson (TLU) Postgame Interview | Jennifer Gallagher (TLU) Postgame Interview | Taylor Grissom (TLU) Postgame Interview | Brayden Pinckard (TLU) Postgame Interview
Texas Lutheran becomes only the fourth team to win consecutive SCAC championships and the first to do so since DePauw University won back-to-back title in 2008 and 2009.
The Bulldogs have now won 32 straight games with their last loss coming on March 2nd to Calumet College of St. Jospeh. They had also won a SCAC-record 34 straight conference games dating back to last season.
Trinity got on the board first as Caitlynn Dykes singled to short to score Emily Fleischman, who led the game off with a double.
The Bulldogs erased that deficit quickly, scoring three in the inning thanks to a RBI double from Jennifer Gallgher and a two RBI triple from Brayden Pinckard.
It was all Taylor Grissom, the SCAC Pitcher of the Year, needed as she shut the Tiger bats down going forward, retiring seven straight batters at one point.
Texas Lutheran broke the game open in the fourth, scoring four runs to take a commanding 7-1 lead. Pinckard drove in her third RBI of the day while Grace Estes drove in a run as well. Hope Estes had a pair of RBI as well as she singled with the bases loaded.
The Tigers would try to mount a rally in the seventh inning, loading the bases with only one out, but Grissom would finish the game with a pair of infield pop ups to clinch the title for TLU.
Grissom won all three games for the Bulldogs this weekend to move to 19-0 and is currently on pace to finish with the best winning percentage for a pitcher in a single season (Lauren Curosh, DePauw - .923). She pitched all seven innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out three.
Gallagher, the SCAC Player of the Year, led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored while Pinckard finished 2-for-4 with three RBI. H. Estes drove in two runs while G. Estes, Heather Hummel, and Megan Armistead all drove in a run as well.
For Trinity, another tough defeat as they fall in the SCAC Championship Game for the fifth straight year. The Tigers, who have won a SCAC-record seven SCAC titles, have not won since 2007.
Kaci Wellik took the loss for Trinity, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing seven runs while striking out two. Katie Castillon came on in relief, pitching 2.2 innings, allowing no runs, and only allowing two hits.
Dykes had the lone RBI for the Tigers while Fleischman scored the lone run. Mackenzie Hill finished 1-for-3 on the day with a triple. Trinity finishes their season at 18-18 overall and 10-6 in the SCAC.
Texas Lutheran now stands at 36-4 and will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. The announcement of where they will be with be on Monday, May 4th at 9 a.m. CST.
At the end of the tournament, the conference office announced the 2015 Softball All-Tournament Team. Below is the team that was selected:
C - Caitlynn Dykes, Sr., Trinity
1B - Lauren Mercado, Sr., Trinity
2B - Ashley Jacobsen, Sr., Texas Lutheran
2B - Hilary Hoffman, So., Trinity
SS - Grace Estes, Jr., Texas Lutheran
3B - Heather Hummel, Jr., Texas Lutheran
OF - Megan Armistead, Jr., Texas Lutheran
OF - Lainey Hebert, So., Texas Lutheran
OF - Brayden Pinckard, Fr., Texas Lutheran
DP - Jennifer Gallagher, Jr., Texas Lutheran
UT - Dom Sandoval, So., Schreiner
P - Taylor Grissom, Jr., Texas Lutheran
P - Katie Castillon, Jr., Trinity
