SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College softball team's 2022 campaign came to a close with a pair of losses to the University of Dallas on Saturday, as the 'Roos fell 6-3 in game one and 12-6 in game two at Old Settlers Park. The 'Roos finish the year with a record of 8-29 overall and 3-17 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
The Crusaders got on top 1-0 in the top of the first when a run scored via an error, and an error followed by a wild pitch brought home UD's second run of the game in the third, making it a 2-0 game. Dallas plated four runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 6-0 before Joli Kirkpatrick belted a two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning to cut it to a 6-2 game. Austin College got another run across in the fifth when Kirkpatrick singled up the middle to score Lizzy Preston, but that's as close as things would get.
Karsen Lampkin took the loss, giving up a pair of unearned runs on zero hits in 2.1 innings of work. Kirkpatrick went 3-for-3 in the game, driving in all three of Austin College's runs in the loss, and Carrie Johnson added a pair of hits.
In game two, the Crusaders jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first but the 'Roos answered back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take their first lead of the day. Kirkpatrick tripled to plate a pair of runs in the inning, and would come home to score on a double by Avery Atencio. The Crusaders got that run back in the third to square things up, and after scoring twice in the fourth to go ahead 5-3, Dallas would explode for six runs in the fifth to make it an 11-3 game.
Kirkpatrick knocked home another run in the bottom of the fifth to cut it to 11-4, and after another run by the Crusaders made it 12-4 in the sixth, Preston and Johnson each brought home a run to make it 12-6 heading into the final inning. However, the 'Roos were unable to generate any offense in the final inning, ultimately falling 12-6. Aubri Dayle Smith took the loss, giving up nine runs - eight earned - on nine hits in 4.0 innings pitched.
Six different 'Roos each had a pair of hits, led by Kirkpatrick going 2-for-3 with three RBI and Johnson going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.