MEMPHIS-The Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs split a doubleheader with Evangel (Mo.) Friday afternoon in their home opener at Bland Field, winning game two 9-4 after Evangel won the first game 10-4.
GAME 1:WHAT HAPPENED:Evangel (1-1) exploded for a five-run third inning to take control en route to a 10-4 win in the first game.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• The Lady Bucs (2-6) scored first in the bottom of the first inning.
Jennifer Gonzalez (Covina, Calif./Charter Oak HS) led off with a single to right field. After moving to second on a groundout and third on a wild pitch, she scored on an
Ali Hare (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida Baker HS) groundout.
• The Crusaders used a walk and a double to knot the game in the top of the second inning.
• Evangel blew it open in the third inning with five runs on five singles and a homer.
• The Lady Bucs shaved two runs off the deficit in the fourth inning.
Alexis Seward (Chino, Calif./Chino HS) and
Holly Oyhenart (Menifee, Calif./Paloma Valley HS) reached on errors, and
Amy Gracia (Fontana, Calif./International Polytechnic HS) reached on an infield single to load the bases with one out. Gonzalez hit an RBI single to bring Seward home, and Oyhenart scored on a
Tiari-Jay Fernandez (Mililani, Hawaii/Mililani HS) RBI groundout.
• The Crusaders tacked on three more in the top of the fifth with a three-run homer by Kiara Carrier.
• Evangel added another in the sixth on a walk, a wild pitch and a single to take a 10-3 lead.
• The Lady Bucs scored a run in the bottom of the seventh.
Leigh Ward (Oriental, N.C./Pamlico HS) reached on an error, and
Gabriela Nodine (Redlands, Calif./Redlands HS) and
Gabrielle Sereika (Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas Institute) followed with infield singles. After Ward was out at home on a force play,
Taylor Rosa-Ramon (Ewa Beach, Hawaii/James Campbell HS) hit an RBI groundout to set the final margin at 10-4.
KEY STATS:• Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
• Sereika was 2-for-3 with a double.
GAME 2:WHAT HAPPENED:After spotting Evangel a two-run lead, the Lady Bucs exploded for nine runs in the second and third innings on their way to a 9-4 win to salvage a split in the doubleheader.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• Evangel took an early lead when Megan Washam followed a bunt single with a two-run homer to center in the top of the first inning.
• The Lady Bucs answered with six runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Lauren Provence (Millington, Tenn./Briarcrest Christian HS) sparked the rally with a single up the middle, and Nodine singled to left. Gracia followed with an RBI single, and Ward drew a walk to load the bases with two out. Fernandez smoked a two-run single to right to put CBU on top, and Sereika followed with a walk to load the bases again.
Kylie Steagall (San Diego, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) hit a two-run single to right, and a throwing error brought another run home to give CBU a 6-2 lead.
• CBU tacked on three more in the bottom of the third. Provence blasted a leadoff homer to left, and Gracia legged out an infield single and moved to second on a throwing error. Gonzalez singled her home and scored on a bases-loaded walk to Steagall after Ward and Sereika walked to load the bases.
• The Crusaders set the final margin with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of three straight one-out singles and an error to set the final margin at 9-4.
KEY STATS:• Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI.
• Provence went 3-for-4 with her first home run of the season.
• Steagall went 2-for-3 with three RBI.
• Sereika drew three walks.
• Ward walked twice.
• Gracia was 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
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Kasey Beekman (Aurora, Colo./Aliso Niguel (Calif.) HS) earned the win, tossing two perfect innings with a pair of strikeouts.
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Amanda Wade (Water Valley, Ky./Graves County HS) threw two scoreless innings, scattering a pair of hits against two strikeouts and no walks.
WHAT'S NEXT:The Lady Bucs open Gulf South Conference play Saturday at 1 p.m. as they host Mississippi College for a doubleheader. Sunday's single game is also set for a 1 p.m. start.
