April 12, 2008

SAN MARCOS - A first inning that included 13 straight Bobcats reaching base highlighted a day where the Texas State offense hit .500 as a team and 12 different Bobcats scored or drove in a run as the `Cats (28-13, 18-2 SLC) completed a doubleheader sweep of Northwestern State (8-36, 4-19 SLC) with 8-4 and 11-2 wins.

Leah Boatright, Kristina Tello and Jetta Weinheimer each finished the day with four hits while Taylor Hall drove in four runs on the day. All nine Texas State starters recorded a hit in each game, and McKenzie Baack reached base in six of her seven plate appearances, finishing 2-for-3 with four walks. As a team the Bobcats finished the day with 27 hits in 54 official at bats while also drawing nine walks.

Hall started the scoring in the first inning of game one when she drove in Tello with a bases-loaded single to left. An inning later the `Cats added four more runs on Baack's two-run double and a Weinheimer single with the bases loaded that plated two more runs.

Ashton Peters extended the lead to 7-0 with a two-run double in the fourth before Ali McCormack lined a pinch hit double into the corner to score Allyce Rother, who ran in place of Peters.

With the softball eight-run rule looming, Northwestern State fought hard in the top of the fifth to extend the game. Back-to-back singles followed by a fielder's choice put two runners in scoring position for the Lady Demons, who got an RBI single off the bat of Cary Bruno to make it 8-1.

The Lady Demons came up with one last chance in the seventh, getting two runners aboard with one out. Katie Garnett worked out of the potential jam, getting a ground out and pop up to Newton at shortstop to end the game.

Ragan Blake (13-8) earned the win after pitching the first 4.2 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out six before Garnett pitched the final 2.1 innings. Katey Barr (2-13) took the loss after allowing five runs in two innings before being relieved by Sarah Dornelas, who gave up three runs on seven hits.

Both offense came out firing in game two, The Lady Demons tallied four singles in the opening frame, including a bases-loaded single to center by Cassie Poncik gave Northwestern State a 2-0 lead.

Texas State answered in a big way in the bottom of the inning. After Tello flied out to left, Newton doubled to right center. Baack walked, and Boatright followed with a single up the middle to score Newton. Both Baack and Boatright then scored when Hall doubled down the left field line to put the `Cats up 3-2.

Jenna Emery and Peters followed with RBI singles to make it 5-2 before Jill Kloesel reached on a bunt single that scored Emery. Batting again, Tello atoned for her fly out with an RBI single for Texas State's seventh run of the inning. Newton walked to load the bases before a wild pitch made it 8-2, and Baack followed with a walk to load the bases. Boatright extended the lead again with her second RBI single of the inning, sending a deep fly ball that bounced off the left field wall. Only one run was able to score on the play, as all three runners had to hold up to make sure the ball was not caught.

Weinheimer delivered an RBI single to left for the Bobcats' tenth run of the inning, and Hall notched her third RBI of the inning with a fielder's choice that erased Boatright at third. Emery then struck out swinging to end the inning, but not before Texas State had scored 11 runs on 10 hits while having 13 straight players reach without an out being recorded.

In all the first inning lasted 47 minutes, taking up over half of the game's entire time. Garnett and Dornelas each regrouped after the first, retiring the side in order in the second. Consecutive singles to lead off the third threatened to cut into the Bobcats' 11-2 lead, but a pair of ground outs and a line out got Garnett out of the inning.

Dornelas ran into a similar situation in the bottom of the third after Boatright doubled to advance Baack to third with one out. Dornelas worked around the jam, inducing a fly out and ground out without allowing a run.

With the Lady Demons again down to their final three outs in the top of the fifth, Corliss drove a double to left field that moved Brittany Card, who had singled, to third with one out. After a Bruno ground out, Poncik stepped in as Northwestern State's last hope, singling to shallow right center.

Card scored easily on the play, and Corliss raced around third to cut the lead to seven and prevent a run-rule. However, Hall delivered a perfect throw to Peters at home, and the Bobcat catcher held on to the ball for the game's final out to clinch the win for Texas State.

Garnett (12-4) allowed three runs despite giving up 10 hits in five innings, and Barr took her second loss of the day after allowing six runs on five hits and a walk in only one third of an inning. Leigh Appenfeller allowed five runs in relief without recording an out while Dornelas pitched the final 3.2 innings for Northwestern State, allowing no runs on three hits while striking out a pair.

The Bobcats and Lady Demons conclude their series on Sunday, Apr. 13, at noon. Fans can listen to the game and follow live game stats online at txstatebobcats.com.