Portions of this story courtesy of Trinity University)
SEGUIN, Texas - No. 2 seed Trinity used a 3-for-3, three RBI day from junior Caitlynn Dykes and a complete game, one hit shutout from sophomore Katie Castillon to defeat No. 3 seed Southwestern and punch their ticket to the SCAC Softball Championship Game against Texas Lutheran. Box Score | Official Tournament Website | Brandi Crnkovic (TU) Postgame Interview | Caitlynn Dykes (TU) Postgame Interview
The two teams met in Friday's final tournament game, which ended in a 6-1 win for Trinity. The Tigers jumped up early with a three-run first inning, adding another run in the fourth, then blowing the game wide open with another three-run inning in the fifth.
Trinity got a beautiful sacrifice bunt from junior Caitlynn Dykes followed by a groundout from Hilary Hoffman and an error by the Pirates to take the 3-0 lead.
The Tigers run in the fourth came off another Pirate error before a two RBI single from Dykes and a RBI single from Sarah Paller extended the lead to 7-0.
Katie Castillon (11-8) tossed a one-hit shutout to power Trinity to victory, striking out four batters without allowing a walk as she kept Southwestern off balance all game long.
Dykes was 3-for-3 with three runs and three RBI in the second game, accounting for six of the team's seven runs scored. Dykes also cracked her fourth triple of the season, which puts her within two of the single season record at Trinity.
Emily Fleischman was 1-for-4 with two runs scored, while Paller picked up a pair of hits for the Tiger offense. Fleischman stole her team-best 13th base of the year, while Chrissy Armstrong recorded her 25th sacrifice of the season. Armstrong entered the weekend as the Division III leader in that category.
For Southwestern, Nicole Gibbs took the loss, allowing all seven runs while only five of them were earned. Palmer made another apperance and did a nice job, limiting Trinity to one hit in 1.2 innings. Palmer appeared in all five Southwestern games this postseason, earning the win in three of them.
Linsay Bigger had the lone hit for the Pirates as she reached base on a swinging bunt that she legged out for a single.
