ARKADELPHIA, Ark.-Senior outfielder
Leigh Ward (Oriental, N.C., Pamlico HS) tied the school record with three stolen bases in Saturday's 6-2 win over Lincoln (Mo.) to lead the Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs to a split in Saturday's games of the OBU/HSU Ronnie Hawkins Invitational. Henderson State defeated the Lady Bucs 9-4 in the first game.
GAME 1:WHAT HAPPENED:The Lady Bucs (1-3) hit two homers and took an early 3-0 lead but couldn't hold on in a 9-4 loss at Henderson State (3-2).
HOW IT HAPPENED:• The Lady Bucs scored three runs in the top of the first inning.
Jennifer Gonzalez (Covina, Calif./Charter Oak HS) led off with a double, and Ward dropped a bunt single and stole second. With one out,
Gabrielle Sereika (Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas Institute) blasted a three-run homer to give CBU a 3-0 lead.
• HSU shaved a run off the lead in the second inning on two singles, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.
• HSU took the lead for good in the third inning as they hit a pair of homers sandwiching a double for three runs. They scored three more in the fourth on three singles, two walks and two wild pitches.
• The Lady Reddies scored one in the fifth on a leadoff homer, and they scored another run in the sixth on two singles and an error.
• CBU set the final margin in the top of the seventh when
Kylie Steagall (San Diego, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) blasted a leadoff homer.
KEY STATS:• Six different Lady Bucs collected one hit each. Gonzalez,
Taylor Rosa-Ramon (Ewa Beach, Hawaii/James Campbell HS) and
Amy Gracia (Fontana, Calif./International Polytechnic HS) each drew a pair of walks.
• Sereika drove in three runs.
GAME 2:WHAT HAPPENED:Ward tied the school record with three stolen bases as the Lady Bucs won 6-2 over Lincoln.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• The Lady Bucs again jumped to an early lead. Gonzalez walked and moved to third when Ward reached on an error. Sereika was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out, and RBI singles by Steagall and Gracia gave them a 2-0 lead.
• A Megan Heimbaugh leadoff homer in the bottom of the first put the Tigers (0-2) on the board.
• CBU manufactured a two-out run in the second inning. Ward reached on an infield single and stole second, scoring on a
Tiari-Jay Fernandez (Mililani, Hawaii/Mililani HS) single to give CBU a 3-1 lead.
• The Lady Bucs extended their lead to 4-1 in the top of the third. Steagall was hit by a pitch and moved to second on an
Alexis Seward (Chino, Calif./Chino HS) sacrifice bunt. Gracia hit an RBI single to score Steagall.
• The Lady Bucs added two more in the sixth.
Gabriela Nodine (Redlands, Calif./Redlands HS) hit a leadoff single and moved to third when Gonzalez reached on a two-base error. Fernandez and Sereika drove them in with RBI groundouts to give CBU a 6-1 cushion.
• The Tigers set the final margin when they used a double and a single to plate a run in the bottom of the sixth.
• The game was called due to darkness after six innings.
KEY STATS:• Ward went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases.
• Gracia went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
• Fernandez drove in two runs.
• Sereika drove in one run and was hit by a pitch twice.
•
Kasey Beekman (Aurora, Colo./Aliso Niguel (Calif.) HS) went the distance, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks in six innings.
NOTABLE:• Ward is the third CBU softball player to steal three bases in a game. Jenny Barnard stole three bases against Lambuth Feb. 26, 2006, and Kathleen Nelson matched the feat at Arkansas-Monticello March 21, 2008.
WHAT'S NEXT:The Lady Bucs will travel to the other side of US Highway 67 in Arkadelphia to play two games at Ouachita Baptist tomorrow. They face Arkansas-Monticello at noon and the hosts at 4 p.m. Their home opener is Friday at 1 p.m. when they take on Evangel (Mo.).
