'Roos Split Doubleheader with Dallas

SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College softball team split its Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader with the University of Dallas on Saturday afternoon at Sherman High School, with the 'Roos taking a 9-1 mercy rule victory in game one before the Crusaders earned a 6-3 extra innings win in game two. The 'Roos are now 3-5 overall and 3-3 in conference play.

Lauren Trott was stellar in the circle for the 'Roos as she went the distance for the win, giving up just two hits and one unearned run in the game. Trott also helped herself at the plate, going 1-for-4 with two RBI. Reagan Brinkley once again provided the heroics at the plate in the bottom of the sixth, ending the game via a walk-off triple for the second game in a row.

Brinkley also go the scoring started for the 'Roos, knocking in a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to make it a 2-0 game. The lead expanded to 6-0 after two frames, with Trott driving in a run with a single before Brinkley walked with the bases full to make it 4-0. Jadyn Myers brought home a run with a fielders choice, and Trott later scored on a wild pitch to cap the inning.

A throwing error in the third allowed for the lone run of the game for Dallas, and the score remained 6-1 until the sixth, when Trott brought home one more run and Brinkley laced a triple to the gap in right center to get the score to the run rule and end things early. Brinkley finished the game 3-for-3 with five RBI, and Ashlynn Brothers and Cheyenne Fields each had a pair of hits. Emma Sherman took the loss for UD, giving up nine runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings of work.

Game two saw Austin College jump on top early again, as Brinkley brought home Brothers with a sacrifice fly in the first, and the score was 1-0 until the top of the third. That's when Dallas came alive offensively, pushing three runs across, but the 'Roos responded in the fourth when Brinkley doubled home a run and an error later brought the Austin College third baseman home to even things at 3-3.

Neither team mustered any runs in the final three innings to force an extra frame, and in the top of the eighth, the Crusaders went on top on an Aliyah Valdez RBI single and didn't look back, plating two more runs to make it 6-3. Austin College was unable to counter in their final set of at-bats. 

Trott was 3-for-4 with two doubles, and Brothers, Myers, and Jillian Kelly each had a pair of hits. Brinkley was 1-for-3 with two RBI. Cassidy Cantera took the loss in relief, giving up three runs on seven hits in 2.0 innings of work. Madi McGowan tossed 6.0 innings for Austin College, surrendering three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts. Kristiana Guerra picked up the win for Dallas after pitching all eight innings and striking out seven batters while scattering 11 hits with three runs yielded, including two earned runs.