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Whitworth forces Sunday game vs. East Texas Baptist University

May 14, 2017

ETBU's softball team opened up the NCAA Regionals with a win 6-3 win over Whitworth Friday night and a 5-3 win over UT-Dallas Saturday. The game against the Comets was immediately followed by a rematch against Whitworth where the Pirates came out on top 3-1 to force a third battle between the two teams on Sunday.

"We obviously know we've got to get timely hitting," ETBU head softball coach Janae Shirley said. "I think that was the biggest difference between yesterday and today. It's kind of like role reversal a little bit with them coming off their first game of the day. It was just a little bit different setup so tomorrow will be an interesting game. We missed a few opportunities with bases loaded and things like that. Hopefully we'll be able to make the adjustments and having seen them three times, hopefully we'll have a little bit more opportunities to move the ball."

The Tigers now hold an overall record of 37-9 while Whitworth is 37-10.

The final game on Saturday saw Whitworth outhit ETBU in Saturday's final game 11-8. Lindsey Vasquez went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Shelby Irbeck went 1-for-3 with a double. Katy Hill went 1-for-3 with one run. The other hits came from Linzie Lewis, Jayme Perez, Lacey Lindsey, Gabby Gonzales and Kaitlyn Hollingshead. Rocki Tello pitched the first two innings where she allowed three runs on four hits, one walk and one strikeout. McKayla Hendrix took over for the next five innings where she allowed no runs and seven hits.

Reheanne Lewis went 3-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Leadoff hitter Kinsey McNaught and Myranda Ramirez each went 1-for-3 with one run. Michell Silva went 2-for-4 with one RBI. Shannon Wessel went 1-for-4 with one hit and one RBI. Madi Perez went 1-for-3.

Rheanne Lewis homered with two outs in the top of the second to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. McNaught and Ramirez each got on before finding their way home to spread their team's lead to 3-0.

ETBU scored its first run of the game when Vasquez doubled to score Hill to make it 3-1.

With one last opportunity in the bottom of the seventh, Irlbeck slid into second for the double with one out. She advanced to third when Hitt grounded out for the second out of the inning. That brought it to the top of the order but the Tigers were unable to score as the Pirates sealed up the 3-1 win and force another game on Sunday.

Prior to that game, the Tigers played on their home field as the visitors where they defeated UT-Dallas 5-3 and ended the Comets' season with a final record of 36-10.

Each team finished the game with eight hits. Linzie Lewis went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Perez and Lindsey each went 1-for-4 with a home run. Hill, Irlebeck and Hitt each came up with one hit apiece and Hill scored one run. Hollingshead was walked and scored one run. Rocki Tello earned the win in the circle as she pitched all seven innings, allowing three runs on eight hits, walking only two batters and striking out three.

UT-Dallas' Hope Griffith went 2-for-3 with one run. Melissa Livermore went 2-for-4 with one run. Jessica Vlasek went 1-for-2 with three RBI. Allie Stephens was the starting pitcher as she went five innings, allowing five runs on six hits, walking two and striking out 1.

Hollingshead was walked in the top of the second before scoring on an RBI single from Irlbeck. That gave the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.

A three-run homer by Vlasek to score Livermore and Griffith put the Comets on the board and gave them their first lead of the game at 3-1. The next half inning saw Lindsey get her 13th home run of the year to put ETBU within one run, 3-2.

The Tigers took back the lead the next inning. Hitt scored on an RBI single from Lewis who was brought home on a two-run homer from Perez, making the score 5-3.

Griffith singled in the bottom of the seventh but was out on a double play as the Tigers sealed up the 5-3 win.

LATE FRIDAY

ETBU 6, WHITWORTH 3: ETBU slugged its way to a 6-3 win, belting three home runs in the contest.

Jayme Perez homered in the bottom of the first,and ETBU added three runs in the bottom of the third.

Linzie Lewis hit a one-out single to start a rally for ETBU, and with that hit she set a single season record for hits in a season at ETBU.

Lacey Lindsey belted a pair of two-run home runs.

Offensively, Perez and Shelby Irlbeck added three hits each.

Jordan Anderson picked up her 16th win of the season to move to 16-3 overall this season. Anderson threw 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on six hits, striking out six batters. Hendrix retired all five batters she faced in 1.2 innings.