No. 15 Texas Lutheran Sweeps Texas A&M - San Antonio

SEGUIN, Texas -- The No. 15 Texas Lutheran softball team swept NAIA opponent, Texas A&M - San Antonio in a midweek doubleheader at Ed Kruse Field Tuesday evening.

The Bulldogs (14-2, 5-1 SCAC) downed A&M - San Antonio (20-11, 10-7 RRAC) 7-1 and 10-2 to take both games of the set.

In game one of the day, the Jaguars took the Bulldogs the full seven innings, managing to to score one run but that was all Ashlyn Strother (Seabrook/Clear Falls) (10-0), the NFCA National Pitcher of the Week, would allow. Strother went the distance and surrendered one run on eight hits and no walks to go with seven strikeouts. Caelee Clark (Montgomery/Lake Creek) continued her tear at the plate and on the base paths - going 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored, and four stolen bases. Game one marked the sixth time that Clark has stolen at least four bases in a game in her career, a feat only outdone by Kelly Jurden in program history.

Clark would get the Bulldogs on the board first starting with a leadoff single before stealing second and third and scoring on a throwing error from the Jaguars catcher.

After a misplay in right field, A&M - San Antonio managed their lone run on an RBI single in the fourth to tie the game at one.

After being held scoreless for three innings, Reagan Hillis (Cedar Park/Cedar Park) would steal home on a double steal to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead in the fifth.

TLU plated five runs on four hits in the sixth inning to pull away from the Jaguars. An RBI single from Reagan Hillis got the scoring started before a sacrifice fly from Madison Johnson (Round Rock/Round Rock) would give the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead. A two-RBI single from Caelee Clark and an RBI single from Mia Landry (Cypress/Bridgeland) concluded the game's scoring.

Clark led the Bulldogs at the plate with her two RBIs and three hits, while Reagan Hillis went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three stolen bases and Annie Kay (Sinton/Sinton), who was recently tabbed SCAC Hitter of the Week, went 2-for-2 with two stolen bases.

Texas Lutheran used big first and second innings and took advantage of sloppy Texas A&M - San Antonio defense to take the second game in five innings.

After walking in a run in the top of the first, the Bulldogs would respond with three runs on four hits.

An RBI single from Hillis tied the game at one. Hillis would steal home on a double steal for the second time on the night to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. Freshman Kourtney Bellinger (Houston/Grand Oaks), who had her first career start in the circle for the Bulldogs, helped herself with an RBI double to score Jayna Reid (Dripping Springs/Dripping Springs) and extend the lead to 3-1.

The TLU offense stayed hot in the second. Singles from Annie Kay and Caelee Clark set the table for an RBI bunt single from Madison Johnson that led to two runs scoring after a Jaguars throwing error. Kylee Jack (Richwood/Brazoswood) would hit an RBI triple to score Johnson. A sacrifice fly from Hillis would drive in her second run of the game.

The Bulldogs would score two runs in the third and an RBI fielder's choice from Kylee Jack would walk it off to complete the run-rule.

Kourtney Bellinger provided the Bulldogs with 4.0 innings of two-run ball, only allowing two hits and two walks while striking out two. Katelyn Howard (Waller/Hempstead) retired three of five in a scoreless fifth inning.

Eight different Bulldogs reached base in the win while Annie Kay went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two stolen bases. Caelee Clark stole two more bases in the day's second game to pass 100 career stolen bases and move into second all-time in the category in program history (101), only trailing Kelly Jurden (242, 2018-22). Clark is the fifth player in SCAC history to reach the 100 stolen base milestone, joining Jurden, Trinity's Karen MacPherson (2009-12), Dallas's Avery Finch (2014-17), and current Centenary senior outfielder Mackenzie Cox. Cox and Clark are both on pace to pass MacPherson and will battle for the second and third all-time spots throughout the 2024 season.

Texas Lutheran will enjoy a day off before returning to SCAC play and continuing their brief five-game homestand against Austin College on Thursday, Mar. 28. First pitch is scheduled for 6 PM. The game will be streamed on TLU's YouTube Channel, TLU+. All streaming and live stats links can be found on tlubulldogs.com.

For more information on Texas Lutheran softball, follow the Bulldogs on Facebook (@txlutheransoftball), X (Twitter) (@TLUsoftball), and Instagram (@tlu_softball) 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, @tlu_athletics on Instagram and TikTok, and @tlubulldogs on Facebook).