AUSTIN, Texas -- The ULM softball program split play Friday to open the Texas Classic, held at McCombs Field on the University of Texas campus. The day opened with an 11-10 walk-off victory over Texas Southern and ended with a 6-2 setback against the host Longhorns.
Courtney Dutreix went 3-for-7 on the day and had the game-winning hit in Friday's opener and posted a 2-for-4 outing in the nightcap.
GAME ONE -- ULM 11, Texas Southern 10
ULM (13-5) began the Texas Classic with a thrilling walk-off 11-10 victory over Texas Southern Friday morning.
Coutney Dutreix capped a five-run bottom of the seventh with a two-out, two-run double to push the Warhawks to victory. The inning started with three leadoff walks. Molly Mackey drove in the first run with another walk with one down. Mackenzie Miller smashed a one out two-run double to center to drive in Rochelle Roberts and Faith Bohack.
Vanessa Garcia went 2-for-4 against the Tigers and shared a team-high two RBI with Dutreix and Miller.
Texas Southern (5-7) used a five-run fourth inning to explode to a 6-3 lead at the time.
After ending the first inning down 1-0, ULM grabbed a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second. Bohack led off the frame with her fourth homer of the season. Then, Roberts and Garcia strung together back-to-back hits to plate another run. Garcia later came around to score on a Texas Southern error.
The Tigers tied the ballgame at three by plating two in the top of the third on a two-run single by B. Parker.
Kierra Patton got the scoring started in the fourth with an RBI single, the first of three for Texas Southern in the frame.
Amye Barre slapped an RBI single into right center to draw the Warhawks back within four in the bottom of the fifth.
The Tigers, however, would increase their lead to six at 10-4 after back-to-back unearned runs in the top of the sixth.
ULM got the runs back in the home half of the frame, however. First, Vanessa Garcia homered with one down. Later in the frame, Miyuki Navarrete smashed an RBI double into right center to score Molly Mackey.
The comeback rally continued into the seventh inning, where the Warhawks plated five.
Samantha Hamby was credited with the win in relief and improved to 8-1 on the year. She went 3.2 innings and held Texas Southern to four hits and two runs (one earned). Madison Staton was saddled with the loss.
GAME TWO -- Texas (RV) 6, ULM 2
ULM fell short to Texas 6-2 to end play Friday at McCombs Field.
The Longhorns (9-9) got on the board first in the bottom of the first on a ULM error, a bases-loaded walk and an RBI single from Karina Scott.
Texas' Stephanie Wong smacked an RBI single in the bottom of the second before the fifth run came across on another bases-loaded walk. The Longhorns led 5-0 after two complete, but the Warhawks would come back and add two runs in the top of the third.
Hollie Letourneau reached base on a Texas error that scored Miyuki Navarrete from third. One batter later, Alexis Cacioppo cut the ULM deficit to three with an RBI single through the right side of the infield.
The Warhawks threatened both in the top of the sixth and seventh innings but did not plate a run.
The Longhorns added a run on Brejae Washington's sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the fifth.
Samantha Hamby was tagged with the loss and fell to 8-2 on the year. Haylie Wilson allowed just one run in five innings of relief.
ULM continues the Texas Classic tomorrow against Southern Miss at 4:30 p.m. followed by a rematch with the hosting Longhorns.
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