Softball Splits With Lamar In Defensive Showdown

Texas Southern split a softball doubleheader at Lamar on Tuesday as both games were decided by one run.
 
LAMAR 1, TSU 0
A first-inning run was the difference as Lamar won the opener 1-0.
 
Despite Jazmine Gendorf’s leadoff strikeout to open the bottom of the first, the batter reached first on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single. TSU’s best chance to score came in the fifth with runners on second and third with one but Lamar forced consecutive groundouts to escape the jam.
 
Pamela Richardson, Tierrah Williams, Mila Rodriguez and Tevanae Tate all had hits for TSU while Gendorf took the loss despite allowing only one run. Gendorf, Nora Rodriguez and Lailah Bell combined to only allow four hits over seven innings.
 
TSU 2, LAMAR 1
Tevanae Tate’s RBI triple in the fourth was all TSU needed as the TSU pitching staff held Lamar to only three hits in the nightcap.
 
Pitching would rule the day until the fourth as Daryn Haslam drew a leadoff walk and moved to third as Tamera McKnight reached second base after a Lamar throwing error on a sac bunt attempt. Tevanae Tate hit a 3-2 triple to the right field fence as both pinch runner Crimson Davis and McKnight scored for a 2-0 lead.
 
Lamar would cross home a run in the fifth to draw within 2-1 and had the tying run on second but reliever Lailah Bell forced an inning-ending groundout to second. The Cardinals threatened again in the sixth with runners on second and third and two outs but Bell again escaped the jam with an inning-ending pop out on the first pitch. After a 1-2-3 top of the seventh for TSU, Bell closed the out the game after her three-inning relief appearance with her first save of the year after a 1-2-3 seventh.
 
Jordan McClain, Pamela Richardson, Haslam and Tate all had hits while Gendorf earned the win.
 
TSU is back in action next Tuesday for the start of the 2022 SWAC Tournament in Gulfport, Miss.