AUSTIN — The Southwestern softball team struggled to string hits together in today's doubleheader against the Concordia Tornados, losing in a competitive first game before the wheels fell off in the second.
Game 1: Concordia 2, Southwestern 1
In a classic pitching duel, freshman Taylor McKenzie threw another gem from the pitcher's circle for Southwestern, facing off against Concordia's 2021 All-West Region Third Team junior Bailey Tisdale.
McKenzie retired nine of the first 11 Concordia hitters she faced, leaving one runner in each of the second and third innings. The Tornados finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI-double from Amber Hatfield to center field, scoring Ashley Hallmark, who reached on an error with one out.
Southwestern tied the game in the top of the sixth. Maddie Mefford opened the inning with a leadoff infield single. Freshman Jodi Millhouse pinch ran for Mefford and scored on Kathryn Dull's RBI-double to right-center.
McKenzie surrendered a leadoff infield single to Emily Schmuck in the bottom of the inning. Schmuck stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error, setting up a sacrifice fly by Hallmark for the go-ahead run.
Southwestern put two runners on to start the top of the seventh, but Tisdale retired the next three hitters to secure the win.
Tisdale (3-1) surrendered five hits with one earned run and eight strikeouts. McKenzie went all six innings, surrendering just three hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Both Concordia runs were unearned.
Southwestern leadoff hitter Alex Fletes was 2-for-3 with a walk. Mefford, Dull, and Rylee Rudloff had the other three hits for the Pirates.
Game 2: Concordia 8, Southwestern 0
Southwestern surrendered 10 hits and seven walks between two pitchers, falling 8-0 in the second game of the doubleheader.
Concordia did most of its damage early, opening the game with three runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by Erica Riley's two-RBI double down the left-field line. Riley advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout to right field by Ashley Hallmark.
The Tornados added two more in the bottom of the second on a two-RBI double through the left side by Myranda Billman. Concordia's Kaelyn Cash added another RBI in the third, and the Tornados added a second run in the inning of an error.
Concordia triggered the mercy rule at the top of the sixth when Hallmark stole home to secure the victory.
Southwestern managed three hits with one walk and reached on an error, leaving all five runners stranded. The Pirates drop to 1-5 and will travel to San Antonio on Saturday to play Our Lady of the Lake University.