Softball Sweeps UAPB To Open Road Series

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Texas Southern softball had to wait a few days due to weather but it was worth it as they swept a doubleheader at Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday.

TSU 3, UAPB 2

The day belonged to freshman Karisma Garcia as she was responsible for all three runs as TSU won the opener 3-2.

Paris Johnson was hit by a pitch to open the third inning and moved into scoring position after stealing second. She moved to third on Pam Richardson’s sac bunt before scoring on Garcia’s RBI single.

Johnson again reached base with one out in the fifth and the same scenario repeated itself as Richardson moved her over on a sac bunt to set up Garcia’s RBI via a Golden Lion error. Ja’Lynn Swiney led the seventh off with a walk and scored the third run on Garcia’s RBI single.

The Golden Lions refused to go away quietly as they led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and double. They would score twice on groundouts but freshman Maren Berger closed the door with an inning-ending groundout to third.

Garcia finished 2-for-4 with three RBI while Johnson scored twice. Berger went the distance as she struck out three while allowing only four hits.

TSU 9, UAPB 2

TSU broke open a tight game in the final inning with seven unanswered runs to claim game two 9-2.

UAPB scored a run in the second but TSU’s Marissa Martinez answered with an RBI single in the fourth to knot the score at 1-all. UAPB hit a solo homer in the fourth to move ahead 2-1 but Paris Johnson answered with a homer of her own in the fifth for a 2-all tie.

TSU burst open the floodgates in the seventh as an error on Lanay Carr’s at-bat led to a pair of runs and a 4-2 lead. Marisa Perla doubled home two runs followed by RBIs from Martinez, Ja’Lynn Swiney and Pam Richardson to claim a 9-2 margin.

Richardson finished 4-for-5 with an RBI while Johnson was 3-for-4 with a run scored and RBI. Deana Zuniga and Martinez each had two hits with Martinez driving in two runs.

Madalynn Gonzales allowed only four hits while striking out five for the win.

The series concludes on Tuesday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m.