| April 9, 2004
Contact: Kyle Stephens (210) 458-4907
UTSA softball splits doubleheader at Northwestern State Game 1: UTSA 7, NSU 5 (8) Game 2: NSU 8, UTSA 0 (5)
NATCHITOCHES, La. - Freshman Aimee Murray hit the first pitch of the eighth inning over the left-field wall to help lead the UTSA softball team past Northwestern State, 7-5, in the first game of a doubleheader Friday at Demon Diamond. The Demons took game two, 8-0, in five innings, snapping the Roadrunners' 12-game winning streak.
With the split, UTSA is now 27-15 overall and 14-6 and in second place in the Southland Conference. Northwestern State is 24-22 and 9-8.
In game one, the Roadrunners picked up where they left off Thursday in the NCAA home run record-setting win at Texas Southern. Sophomore Jessica Els reached on an infield single to set up a two-run homer way over the left-field wall by senior Christy Brownlee to give UTSA an early 2-0 lead.
Brownlee's home run was her 20th of the season, putting her in sole possession of first place on the school's single-season home run chart. The long ball also put the Roadrunners at 81 for the season, breaking their own SLC record of 80 set last year.
Northwestern State got one run back in the bottom of the second. Lindsey Danzy reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a bases-loaded walk to cut the lead to 2-1.
The Demons knotted the score in the third on a solo homer to right field by Nicole Martin.
NSU took a 4-2 lead with a pair of runs in the fifth. Martin singled, stole second and scored on a single up the middle by Lindsey Leftwich. Leftwich came around on a double off the left-field wall by Kiana Scott.
UTSA made its comeback in the top of the seventh, plating three runs to take a 5-4 lead. Sophomore Jenny Garcia reached on a fielder's choice and came around to score on a two-out double to the left-center field gap by junior Jessica Rogers to pull UTSA within one at 4-3. Els followed with a line drive homer over the left-center field wall to put the Roadrunners up 5-4.
The Demons would not quit, tying the game at 5-5 with a run in the bottom of the seventh. Martin led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, to third on an unassisted groundout to first base and scored on a single up the middle by Danzy.
UTSA did not wait long to use its home run prowess in regaining the lead for good. Murray took the first pitch of the eighth inning deep over the left-field wall to make it 6-5 Roadrunners. The next batter, junior Krystal Gibson, put UTSA up 7-5 with a solo shot to right, her 11th of the season.
NSU threatened with a double to right by Tracye Thompson, but was tagged out trying to advance to third on the play on a good relay throw from Davis to Brownlee to Rogers to end the game.
Mares worked all eight innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits and striking out three. Her scoreless inning streak came to an end at 25 with a run by NSU in the second, but she improved her record to 18-9 on the season with the win. Crista Miller (6-14) took the loss for the Demons.
Els, Gibson and Davis all went 2-for-4 to lead the UTSA offense.
In game two, NSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one. Martin singled, stole second and scored on a single by Scott to make it 1-0. Following a single by Danzy, Margaret Patterson looped a two-run triple down the right-field line.
The Demons tacked on two more in the second, both with two outs. Sarina Noack singled, stole second and scored on another single by Martin. Scott lined a double to the left-field wall, plating Martin and putting NSU up 5-0.
NSU ended the game after five with three more runs on a solo homer and two run-scoring infield singles, making the final 8-0.
For the Demons, Aimee Ford worked a complete-game shutout, striking out 11 and allowing just four hits. Freshman Stevi Simpson (9-6) took the loss for UTSA.
Offensively, Els extended her hitting streak to a team-best 11 games with a single in the first in going 1-for-3. Rogers, Murray and Davis collected the other three hits for UTSA.
The two teams will play a single game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Southland Conference Softball
Game 1: UTSA 7, Northwestern State 5 (8)
UTSA200 000 32 - 7 9 0
NSU011 020 10 - 5 10 1
Mares and Els. Miller and Nichols. WP - Mares (18-9). LP - Miller (6-14). Save - none. 2B - UTSA: Rogers (5). NSU: Scott, Nichols, Thompson. HR - UTSA: Els (6), Brownlee (20), Murray (8), Gibson (11); NSU: Martin.
Game 2: Northwestern State 8, UTSA 0 (5)
UTSA000 00 - 0 4 1
NSU320 03 - 8 12 0
Simpson, Ortiz (2) and Els. Ford and Nichols. WP - Ford (12-5). LP - Simpson (9-6). Save - none. HR - NSU: Patterson. 3B - NSU: Patterson. 2B - NSU: Scott.
Records: UTSA (27-15, 14-6). NSU (24-22, 9-8).
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