(Story Courtesy of Texas Lutheran University Sports Information Department)
SEGUIN, Texas -- Game one of the Seguin, Texas Super Regional lived up to the hype and more. In a dog fight between two of the best pitchers at the Division-III level, it would take extra innings for the No. 2 Texas Lutheran softball team (42-4, 21-0 SCAC) to break through and put the Bulldogs one victory away from their third straight Division-III Women's College World Series appearance.
In an eight-inning battle against No. 5 Belhaven (41-7, 26-4 ASC), the Bulldogs constantly battled before senior Casey Martin walked the game off in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single to right field to take game one, 2-1. With the win, Texas Lutheran extends their win streak to 25 games.
The two teams traded zeros through five innings in what made for a grind-it-out win for the Bulldogs.
Texas Lutheran struck first - taking a 1-0 lead following an RBI double from Laura Hernandez that scored Madison Johnson in the bottom of the sixth.
The Blazers responded in the top of the seventh. After a sacrifice bunt from Blazers pitcher Kennedy Carruth moved Ellie Jones to third base, a Sydney Runnels RBI single would tie the game 1-1 late in the game.
After Sydney Ouellette worked through the top of the eighth, Madison Johnson led off the inning with a double down the left field line. With the game in the balance and two strikes on her, Casey Martin would step into the box and walk it off for the Bulldogs in dramatic fashion and send Bulldogs fans home happy as Texas Lutheran took game one.
Sophomore Ashlyn Strother got the start, going 6.1 innings and striking out five batters, giving up one run on two hits and two walks.
Sophomore Sydney Ouellette finished the job, entering for the final 1.2 innings and allowing only two hits and no runs or walks while striking out two batters. Ouellette collected the winning decision, her 11th of the season.
TLU was led at the plate by Madison Johnson who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Texas Lutheran will face Belhaven tomorrow in games two and three (if necessary) in the Seguin, Texas Super Regional. First pitch is scheduled for 5 PM and 7:30 PM at Ed Kruse Stadium. All streaming and live stats links can be found on tlubulldogs.com. Tomorrow's games will also be broadcast on KWED 1580 AM Radio with Mike McBride on the call for fans in the Guadalupe County area.
