Softball Sweeps Southern To Cap Off Alumni Weekend

It was a Southern sweep.

Texas Southern’s softball team swept a doubleheader from Southern Saturday, winning 7-3 and 7-1 to claim all three games in the weekend series which honored the TSU softball alumni in attednance. The Tigers won both series against the Jaguars this season.

TSU (18-17, 15-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference) remained in first place in the SWAC West Division, and moved over the .500 mark.

TSU 7, SU 3
In the first game, Texas Southern jumped all over Southern (10-27, 8-10) with six runs in the first inning to take a five-run lead after the Jaguars scored the game’s first run. Tamera McKnight drove a 3-2 pitch into right-center to tie the game. Tevanae Tate walked with the bases loaded to put the Tigers up, 2-1. Jordan McClain reached on an error to score two more. Ja’Lynn Swiney ripped a single through the box to drive in two, extending the lead to 6-1.

In the second, Tate singled to right to drive in a run.

Southern added two runs in the fifth on Julia York’s home run.

But Lailah Bell shut down the Jaguars the last two innings to pick up her first win in a complete game effort. She allowed three hits, three runs, two walks, and struck out three.

Daryn Haslam and McKnight each had two hits.

TSU 7, SU 1
In the second game, the Tigers cranked four home runs to put the Jaguars away. Haslam belted two homers, Mila Rodriguez had another, and Madison Martinez crushed a pinch-hit solo shot for her first career hit.

Haslam hit a two-run homer to right-center in the first inning, and Rodriguez followed with a solo blast to left to spot the Tigers to a 3-0 lead in the nightcap.

Southern picked up a run on Roxsanna Segura’s RBI single in the second to pull within two.

Haslam struck again in the fifth, sending the first pitch of the inning over the left field fence for a 4-1 lead. Haley Castro’s two-run double to left-center extended the Tigers’ lead to 6-1.

Martinez crushed a 2-2 pitch to left-center to add an insurance run as it was her first career hit and home run.

TSU reliever Jasmine Gendorf was lights out over the final five innings. She allowed just one hit, and fanned five to pick up her 10^th victory of the year.

Haslam went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Castro was 2-for-2 with two RBI. Julia Bilbao was 1-for-2 with a double.

The Tigers hit six home runs in the series.

TSU will host Texas A&M Corpus Christi 2 p.m. Tuesday at Memorial Park.