GEORGETOWN - The Southwestern University softball team brought their bats to the SCAC Softball Championship on Friday as they pounded out 27 hits in two games as they stormed back to defeat the No. 6 seed Dallas Crusaders, 5-2, before returning and rolling the No. 2 seeded Schreiner Mountaineers, 12-2 (6).
The Crusaders came out early on and got to starter Bailey Meyer, chasing her after 0.2 innings of work. Sophomore Lindsey Longuet took over and got the final out to get the Pirates to the plate. The Pirates got one back in the bottom half of the first with a RBI single from sophomore Kaitlynn Copher.
In the second, Dallas loaded the bases with one out and looked to open it up early on. However, Longuet settled in and got the No. 3 and 4 hitters for Dallas to regain some momentum on the Southwestern side.
The bats finally came alive in the fourth inning when senior Taylor Curtis stepped to the plate and laced a solo shot over the center field wall to even things at two. Later in the inning, after a single by sophomore Andrea Hern, who was later moved to second on a ground out, freshman Katelyn Francis came to the plate and singled home Hern to put SU on top 3-2.
Longuet settled in nicely and began to get in a rhythm, putting the Crusader offense down.
In the sixth, Southwestern got some much needed insurance runs as freshman Grace Phelps put down a beautiful bunt with two on, beat it out for a single, and also forced a wild throw, bringing a run home, and pushing the lead to 4-2.
One batter later, Copher came to the plate and got her fourth hit of the game, a RBI double to give Southwestern a little more breathing room at 5-2. Longuet finished the Crusaders off to earn the win.
Longuet pitched 6.1 innings in relief, allowing no runs on only four hits to go with three strikeouts.
Offensively, Copher was 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI while Francis was 3-for-3 with a RBI. Phelps added a 3-for-4 day while junior Celeste Silvas and sophomore Sydney Scott were each 1-for-3 with run scored.
The Pirates came to the park with a vengence later that night, playing the first ever contest under the lights at Taylor-Sanders Field against Schreiner, though playing as the away team due to seeding.
Scott got it started with a bang thanks to a double on the very first pitch of the game. She would scored on a fielder's choice by Phelps for the 1-0 lead. The Pirates had chances the next two innings, but the score remained going into the fourth.
From there, Southwestern blew the game wide open. Copher started the inning with a triple followed by a RBI single from sophomore Izzy Jack. Jack was moved to second on a bunt and one batter later, sophomore Mary Alex Krosby singled home a run on a RBI single.
After a single by Francis to put two on, Scott blasted a three-run shot to opposite field in left center to give the Pirates a big 7-0 lead.
Schreiner didn't go down quietly, getting two back in the bottom of the fourth, but Longuet was too good on this day as she shut down the Mountaineers going forward.
Southwestern got five move runs in the sixth thanks to a RBI double from Copher and a sac fly from Curtis, as well as miscues by the Schreiner defense, to make it a 12-2 game. Southwestern closed it out in the bottom of the sixth to run rule the Mountaineers and move into the winner's bracket tomorrow afternoon.
Longuet earned her second win of the day, going to 6-4. She pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on three hits to go with a strikeout.
Scott finished 2-for-4 with a double, home run, and three RBI while Copher was 2-for-4 with a double, triple, two runs, and a RBI. Phelps added a 2-for-4 day with a RBI and run scored while Silvas was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Francis was 2-for-3 with a run scored while Jack drove in a pair of runs, going 1-for-2 with a run scored.
Southwestern moves to 22-15 on the season and will face off against No. 1 seed and No. 2 team in the nation Texas Lutheran tomorrow at 3 PM. The winner of the game will punch their ticket into the SCAC Championship Game on Sunday while the loser will play in an elimination game later that night.