HOUSTON — The Southwestern softball team dropped both games of today's conference doubleheader against the University of St. Thomas Celts to open the three-game weekend series.
Game 1: St. Thomas 5, Southwestern 0
Southwestern was shut down by St. Thomas ace pitcher Lindsey Longuet (11-2), who threw a complete-game shutout, striking out seven with just one walk and three hits allowed in a 5-0 victory.
St. Thomas scored five runs off Southwestern starter Madison Vela, who threw three innings and allowed nine hits and one walk with three strikeouts.
The Celts scored on an RBI triple by Lindsey Gonzalez and a sacrifice fly by Mallarie Munson in the top of the first inning. St. Thomas added three more runs in the third inning, scoring on a two-RBI double by Shae Montemayor and an RBI single by Delayne Moreno.
Taylor McKenzie replaced Vela in the pitcher's circle to start the fourth inning and threw three hitless innings with three strikeouts and no walks.
Alex Fletes had two of Southwestern's three hits, with Jessey Nunez supplying the third hit.
Game 2: St. Thomas 4, Southwestern 3
Grace Torres delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly, scoring in the bottom of the 10th inning to give St. Thomas the 4-3 victory.
McKenzie started in the pitcher's circle for Southwestern and was solid in seven innings, surrendering three runs with two earned on nine hits with six strikeouts and a walk.
Maddie Mefford put Southwestern on the scoreboard with an RBI single, scoring Brooke Yanta in the top of the third inning. St. Thomas responded with a Taylor Le RBI single to center field in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.
Yanta put Southwestern back on top in the fourth, hitting an RBI single to center field to score Meghan McCarthy. Izzy Richey added another run in the fifth on a groundout to the pitcher, scoring Jodi Millhouse for the 3-1 lead.
A Southwestern error in the sixth inning paved the way for a St. Thomas run, scoring Le on an Ariana Brown fielder's choice when the Pirates couldn't complete the double play to end the inning. The Celts tied the game on an RBI single to right field off the bat of Munson.
Paige Rasmussen replaced McKenzie in the pitcher's circle to start the eighth inning, retiring the side in order in the eighth and allowing just one hit in the ninth. Sydney Cromwell singled off Rasmussen to open the 10th inning and advanced to second. Torres followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Cromwell to end the game.
Southwestern drops to 8-18 with a 3-7 conference record. The Pirates and Celts will wrap up the series with a noon game tomorrow.