LeTourneau splits with Trinity and Hardin-Simmons

LONGVIEW – The LeTourneau University softball team opened the 2010 season by splitting a pair of games Saturday at Lear Park as the YellowJackets blanked Trinity, 7-0, but fell to No. 22 Hardin-Simmons, 5-4.

 

Against Trinity, LeTourneau (1-1) struck for five runs in the third to grab a 5-0 lead.

 

Alex Flanagan led off the frame with a double and scored on a Juliana Tuel double. Kylie Packard singled, moving Tuel to third. Kayla Blucher, who went 2-for-4, followed with a base hit to load the bases. With one down, Christin Mickelboro tripled to clear the bases. Mickelboro scored on a base hit by Crissy Simmons, giving the YellowJackets a commanding 5-0 lead.

 

LeTourneau put the game away with two runs on three hits in the sixth as Tuel, wo was 2-for-3, singled with two outs and stole second. Packard reached on an error as Tuel scored. Blucher singled to move Packard to second. Kali Behrens, who went 2-for-4, doubled to score Packard to give the YellowJackets a 7-0 advantage.

 

Kelsie Mercer-Stephenson (1-0) took the win, pitching a complete-game, three-hitter. She fanned six in earning her first victory.

 

Sarah Rabaey took the loss, giving up seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

 

In the nightcap, the YellowJackets raced out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first against Hardin-Simmons.

 

With two down in the frame, Behrens doubled to right-center and scored on a base hit by Mickelboro, giving LeTourneau a 1-0 advantage.

 

However, Hardin-Simmons answered in the bottom of the inning as Meagan Ulmer tripled to right and scored on a Amy Meyer groundout, tying the game at 1.

 

The Cowgirls led 5-2 going into the sixth inning, before the YellowJackets cut the deficit to 5-4 after a pair of runs.

 

Blucher singled through the left side and scored on a Behrens' homer to deep center, cutting the margin, but the YellowJackets couldn't score the tying run in the seventh.

 

Flanagan started in the circle for LeTourneau, pitching three innings. She gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits. Devin Borsellino (0-1) took the loss in two innings of work. She surrendered two runs on four hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout. Stephenson pitched the final inning.

 

Sarah Shurbet picked up the win with a complete game. She was tagged for four runs on nine hits with four strikeouts.

 

The YellowJackets travel 1:00 p.m., Monday, March 1 to Clinton, Miss., to open American Southwest Conference East Division play against Mississippi College.