SHERMAN, Texas - For the first time since 2015, the Austin College softball team is headed to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament after clinching a spot by taking two of three games against Schreiner University on Sunday. The 'Roos downed the Mountaineers 8-0 in game one, and after falling 7-5 in game two, bounced back with a 4-1 win in the third game of the day to lock up a postseason berth.
Austin College got out to a big lead early in game one, with Chyrsi Hemby doubling to plate Elizabeth Preston, followed by an RBI sacrifice fly by Carrie Johnson. Hannah King added a run-scoring double of her own, bringing Hemby home to make it a 3-0 game. That remained the score until the third, when King brought home Tori Fowler, and King would later add a three-run triple in the fifth. Lyndsey Busch added a sacrifice fly in that same inning to plate King and end the game via the run-rule.
Alexus Johnson got the win, giving up just two hits with four strikeouts in 5.0 innings, while King went 2-for-3 with five RBI and Fowler went 3-for-3 and scored three runs. Hemby finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI.
In game two, it was Schreiner who took an early 3-0 lead with Yadira Lopez doubling home two runs and Kourtney Hurry bringing home the team's third run in the top of the first. Madi McPherson put Austin College on the board with an RBI single in the second, and Faith Butler knocked in two more runs with a base hit of her own, plating Hailie Swiatkowski and Busch.
Schreiner tacked on four runs in the top of the fifth after taking advantage of an Austin College error to make it a 7-3 game. The 'Roos threatened in the bottom of the seventh, with Hemby doubling home Preston and Carrie Johnson adding an RBI single to cut it to 7-5, but that's as close as things would get.
Swiatkowski took the loss for Austin College, giving up seven runs - only three earned - on eight hits in 5.0 innings of action. Hemby went 2-for-4 with two doubles, setting the Austin College single-season record for doubles in the process, with her second being her 18th of the year. Preston and Carrie Johnson each had a pair of hits. Lopez went 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead Schreiner.
Austin College jumped out to its second 3-0 lead of the day in the third game of the series, with Preston coming home on a wild pitch followed by another RBI double from Hemby and a run-scoring single from Carrie Johnson. Schreiner got on the board in the fourth after Cambryn Holloway reached based and advanced all the way to third on a throwing error, and then came home on a sacrifice fly by Lopez, but Andrea Saucedo gave the 'Roos an insurance run with an RBI single in the fifth to make it 4-1 and thaat's how things would end.
Alexus Johnson went the distance for the 'Roos, giving up just one unearned run and taking a no-hitter until the final play of the game, finishing things up by surrendering one hit while striking out two batters. The victory gave her 10 on the year, making her the first 'Roo softball player to reach double-figures in the wins column. Preston finished the game 4-for-4 with two stolen bases to lead the 'Roos at the dish.