The Austin College softball team closed out its regular season campaign with a split against the visiting University of Dallas, taking a 4-3 win in game one before falling 7-5 in game two. The 'Roos head into the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament as the No. 5-seed with an overall record of 17-22 and 8-16 in conference play.
The Crusaders got on the board in the top of the first but Austin College struck back quickly when Mary Whitworth singled home a run in the bottom half of the inning, and a two run homer from Briana Hernandez in the third pushed it to a 3-1 game. The Crusaders got one run back in the fourth, but a Lindsey Pollard RBI single in the bottom half of the inning made it a 4-2 game.
Dallas would get one more run back in the fifth but Victoria Herrera would come on in relief to pitch two perfect innings and earn the save. Sophia Hernandez went 5.0 innings allowing three runs on six hits to get the win, while Briana Hernandez finished 2-for-3 with a homer, three runs scored, and two RBI. Taylor Steelman went 2-for-4 in the game.
In game two, the 'Roos fell behind 2-0 after the first inning and that remained the score until the Crusaders tacked on another run to make it 3-0 in the middle of the third, but in the bottom half of the inning Whitworth hit an RBI double and Lacy Price had an RBI single as part of a three run inning to square things up.
Whitworth doubled in two more runs in the fourth to push the lead to 5-3, and that's how the score would stay heading into the seventh and final inning. However, the 'Roos were unable to hang onto the lead as the Crusaders plated four runs in the inning to make it 7-5, and Austin College went down in order in the bottom half of the inning to end the game.
Herrera went the distance in the loss, striking out 10 batters and surrendering seven runs on eight hits. Mallory Rossmann and Herrera each went 2-for-3 at the plate, and Whitworth finished 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Austin College now heads into the SCAC Tournament on Friday in Seguin, where they'll take on No. 4-seed Schreiner at 12:00 p.m. in the opening round, with the winner moving on to face top-seed and tournament host Texas Lutheran.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
About Austin College
Austin College is a leading national independent residential liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope's influential book Colleges that Change Lives.