GEORGETOWN, Texas - The Southwestern University softball team split a doubleheader against the Concordia Texas University Tornados with a 4-2 win and a close 9th inning 8-5 loss on Tuesday evening at Taylor-Sanders Field.

 

Southwestern is now 5-10 in the season and 3-3 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) play.

 

Both Southwestern and Concordia started off slow in the first innings, keeping each other to zero runs. The Tornados scored two quick runs to give CTX an early lead into the top of the second inning. The Pirates went scoreless the next two innings but gained a running streak in the bottom of the fourth inning as Sam Martinez singled and earn one RBI as Katelyn Francis scored the first run for the Pirates. Up next, Brooke Yanta doubled to give Martinez a chance to score the second run, but Jessey Nunez saw her opportunity at home plate and took a third run off of an error by the CTX catcher, helping the Pirates earn the lead in the game. Southwestern scored another run in the fifth with Francis grounded out by the second baseman as Izzy Richey scored the fourth run for the Pirates. CTX tried to fight their way back into the game, but the Pirates defense and pitcher Paige Rassmusen held off the Tornados ending the game 4-2.

 

In the second game, Southwestern was the first to score a run as Maddie Mefford singled in Kinly McCaffrey, earning her one RBI in the bottom of the second inning. Both Pirates and Tornados went scoreless in the next few innings as the Pirates held the one-run lead. However, CTX broke their scoreless streak and scored two runs in the fifth inning. This lead would be short-lived as Tori Montemayor hit Mefford in to score, making the game 2-2. In the sixth and the seventh innings, the Tornados swooped in three runs to extend their lead 5-2, and the game seemed over as the Pirates took the bottom of the seventh inning. However, the Pirates came back to score three runs to tie the game with CTX and extend the play. In the eighth inning, both teams fought to gain the lead. However, both team's defense kept each other from scoring, which pushed the game into the ninth inning. The Tornados found their rhythm and pulled through and scored three runs to extend their lead, making the game 8-5. Southwestern tried to retake the lead but were held by the CTX defense as the second game ended with a Pirate loss.

 

Up next, Southwestern softball will get ready to swing back into conference play and host the Schreiner University Mountaineers, first on Saturday, March 27 in a doubleheader at 4 and 6 p.m., then will play their final game Sunday, March 28 at 1 p.m.