No. 3 TLU Splits Doubleheader at NFCA Leadoff Classic

COLUMBUS, GA -- The third-ranked Texas Lutheran softball team split its doubleheader at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division-III Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Georgia, on Saturday with a game one 13-9 loss to No. 1 DePauw and a 6-2 victory over No. 16 Trine in the second game.

Freshman Faith Hernandez (Dinuba, CA/Dinuba) would get the scoring started in the bottom of the first with a two-RBI double as the Bulldogs would scratch five runs across in the inning capped off by an RBI double from outfielder Sidney Cox (Frisco/Wakeland).

DePauw responded in the top of the second with a run of their own - shrinking the Bulldogs lead to 5-1.

Texas Lutheran would score two more runs in the bottom of the second with RBIs from Faith and Laura Hernandez (Missouri City/Ridge Point) as the Bulldogs lead would increase to 7-1.

DePauw would begin to claw back into the game with four runs in the third inning and an additional run in the fourth - tacking on five runs on six hits and two Texas Lutheran errors to make it a one run game entering the bottom of the fourth.

A Chassety Raines (Spring/Klein Collins) sacrifice fly and Bailey Hudgeons (Dripping Springs/Dripping Springs) solo home run would get two runs back for TLU in the bottom of the fourth with the Bulldogs leading 9-6 entering the fifth inning.

The Bulldogs would have just three hits over the next three innings as DePauw pitcher Kersten Brayton kept the Bulldogs off the bases while the Tigers scored seven runs over the course of the final three innings to secure a comeback victory.

In game two, Texas Lutheran hit two home runs led by Bailey Hudgeons 2-for-3, performance that included her Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) leading fourth home run of the season - her second of the day - and two RBI performance.

Casey Martin (Pearland/Pearland) hit her first home run of the season in the first inning and would finish 3-for-4, scoring two runs in the game.

Trine would respond with a run in the bottom of the first to tie the ballgame. A Sarah Metzer (Sugar Land/Dulles) RBI triple would break the tie in the top of the second. Bailey Hudgeons would break the game open in the third with a two-run home run that would increase the Bulldogs lead to 5-1. Trine would homer in the bottom of the fourth but an RBI double from Kelly Jurden (Brenham/Brenham) would return the Trine deficit to the final total of four runs.

Following her 12-strikeout performance on Friday, Ashlyn Strother (Seabrook/Clear Falls) went the distance, striking out 13 in seven innings and surrendering two runs on four hits to collect her fourth win of the season. Strother has struck out 25 batters this weekend and currently leads the SCAC in strikeouts with 39.

The third-ranked Bulldogs close their weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic with a Sunday afternoon doubleheader vs. Emory (12:30 PM CST) and Manhattanville (2:30 PM CST). All streaming and stat links can be found on tlubulldogs.com.

For more information on Texas Lutheran softball, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter and Instagram (@TLUsoftball) and as always you can find updates on all Texas Lutheran athletics on tlubulldogs.com and all official TLU social media channels (@tluathletics on Twitter, @tlubulldogs on Instagram and Facebook, and @tlu_athletics on TikTok).