Softball Pounds Path to Day One Split

TSU – TWU Box Score | TSU – SMU Box Score
Schedule | Stats

DENTON, Texas - - The Truman softball team pounded out 19 hits and hit .322 as a team in picking up a split on the first of three days at the 2012 Best Western Spring Fling, hosted by Texas Woman's University.

The Bulldogs (3-3) opened the day with a 9-8 extra-inning loss to the host Pioneers before bouncing back in the nightcap to dispose of St. Mary's (Texas) University, 4-3. Truman will play one game on Saturday, tackling Texas A&M-International at 2:00 pm.

Truman trailed 8-4 through four innings in its first game before scoring four in the fifth against TWU to knot the score at 8-8. Bridget Schade blasted a three-run home run in the inning in front of a Kristin Grossman RBI single to draw the Bulldogs even.

The squads went through seven still tied 8-8, putting the international tiebreaker in place for the top of the 8^th. Truman squandered a 2^nd-and-3^rd with nobody out chance in the top half, failing to score before TWU pushed across a run during its turn to pick up the 9-8 win. Freshman Ally McReynolds launched her first collegiate homerun leading off the third inning, while Kelsey Bollman, Liz Leath and Meredith Kusky all knocked doubles.

Ashley Rotkvich was handed the loss in the circle, pitching 7.1 innings in relief of starter Kelsea Dorsey who threw to just two batters. Rotkvich gave up just three earned runs.

In game two, the Bulldogs fell behind 1-0 in the top of the third before scoring three in their half to take a 3-1 lead. Lexi Rollet, pinch-running for Cate Simon, came around to score off a Corey Niblett bunt and follow-up throwing error by the SMU catcher. The 'Dogs took advantage of another Rattler miscue, plating a second run when Laura Miller scored on a throwing error later in the inning. Mary Manley then delivered a single to left, scoring McReynolds from second base.

Simon drove her first collegiate home run in the bottom of the fourth – a solo shot to give Truman a 4-1 lead behind starter Kirsten Krause. SMU made a rally in its last breath, scoring one in the top of the 7^th and loading the bases before Kelsea Dorsey entered to pitch with one out. Following a strikeout and a passed ball that scored one to close the deficit to 4-3, Dorsey issued a walk before inducing a flyout to close the game and earn her first save.

Krause notched her first win of the season, allowing just one earned run in 6.1 innings and striking out two.

For the day, Schade went 4-for-5 with seven total bases, with four other 'Dogs hitting at least .400.

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