Softball Earns Series Sweep Over Alcorn State

The Texas Southern Lady Tigers softball team wrapped up their conference series against Alcorn State with a pair of wins in Saturday’s doubleheader to earn the sweep in the process.

By sweeping the Braves, the Lady Tigers sit atop the SWAC Western Division with a 5-1 record. They are currently ahead by one game in the standings over second place Prairie View A&M. Additionally, they improved their head-to-head record against the Lady Braves to 13-1 since 2013.

TEXAS SOUTHERN 8, ALCORN STATE 2

TSU opened the first game in grand style by scoring four runs scored in the first two innings which began with Mila Rodriguez reaching on a fielding error by Alcorn second baseman Genise Wells during a groundout attempt. Two batters later, Tevanae Tate tallied her team’s second run with a solo RBI base hit to left field. The second inning saw the team use adept base running skills by executing the double steal at second base and home plate against the unsuspecting battery of catcher Hannah Dukes and pitcher Brenn Ursin with Davis and designated player Pamela Richardson.

Alcorn fought back during the top of the fourth with two runs that came off of a Wells’ bases-loaded walk and a Desirea Lindsey base hit to left-center field which advanced all runners forward 90 feet to possibly continue their comeback.

The Lady Tigers made sure to deny Alcorn’s comeback by responding with four runs in the contest’s final third to put it in bed. Catcher Daryn Haslam singled through the middle of the infield in the fourth inning which sent Richardson home after the latter reached on a double and progression to third on a 5-3 fielder’s choice putout. Then in the sixth, Haslam tripled to right field that scored two runs for TSU and expanded their lead to 7-2 to boot. She was instantly followed by Julia Bilbao’s single to left that made it 8-2.

Haslam erupted for a 3-for-4, one-run, and four-RBI performance in the opening game of the doubleheader for the Tigers. Richardson also chipped in with three runs scored.

Crimson Davis served two more hits and runs for the Tigers against Alcorn. Including the second game of the day, Davis holds a five-game hitting streak. Rounding out the hitting department were outfielders Julia Bilbao, Tevanae Tate, and Ashling Shahan who each secured one hit.

Jazmine Gendorf won her second consecutive complete game on the mound.

TEXAS SOUTHERN 5, ALCORN STATE 2

Contrary to each game in the series which started on TSU taking a firm stranglehold over Alcorn’s defense, it was the visitors that went ahead in their opening turn at bat thanks to Marsha Hunt’s two-run home run to center.

Despite the early setback, the team quickly clawed back in the game to 2-1 by jamming Alcorn starter Kiri Parker with a bases-loaded situation and an RBI single from Rodriguez.

After passing through the second and third with relative silence, TSU pulled the trigger with their potent offense by putting up four runs in the fourth from Davis’ bases-loaded single, Rodriguez’s walk, Haslam’s 5-3 forceout, and Bilbao’s own single to right-center–all aforementioned plays happening in brisk succession that set the game at a 5-2 advantage for the Lady Tigers which ultimately became the final score.

Davis strung together a three-hit game including two runs and an RBI for the Lady Tigers in their second win of the day. Bilbao matched Davis’ multiple hits with two of her own along with a pair of RBIs and one walk.

Lailah Bell threw for five innings in her first career win. She was relieved in the sixth inning by Chelsea Baxter, who returned to action for the first time since March 12 by closing the game with two frames pitched on one hit and a strikeout.

TSU was scheduled to host Houston-Victoria on Tuesday but will travel to Beaumont, Texas to face Lamar in a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The Lady Tigers return to Memorial Park where they face division rival Southern University for a three-game set that begins on Friday, April 2 at 3 p.m.