Monster First Fuels Texas Lutheran to Win Over Concordia

SEGUIN, Texas -- The No. 14-ranked Texas Lutheran softball team used a 10-run first inning to open SCAC play Friday night, opening their SCAC opening series with a 17-4 drubbing of Concordia (TX).

TLU (5-0, 1-0 SCAC) scored 17 runs in the game, collecting 16 hits and six walks in the win over the Tornados (0-3, 0-1 SCAC). Caelee Clark (Montgomery/Lake Creek), Annie Kay (Sinton/Sinton), and Serena Gonzalez (Corpus Christi/Foy H. Moody) provided three-hit games, Kylee Jack (Richwood/Brazoswood) and Taylor Vannett (Kingwood/Kingwood) added multi-hit performances and eight different Bulldogs recorded a hit.

After the Tornados got on the board with an unearned run in the top of the first, the floodgates opened early as Texas Lutheran plated ten runs in the first inning. The Bulldogs scored ten runs on eight hits and two Tornados errors. Caelee Clark (3-for-3, BB, 3 R, 4 SB, 2 RBI) singled to lead off the inning and following two stolen bases was driven in by an RBI single from Annie Kay (3-for-3, BB, 3 R, SB, 2 RBI). A single from Kylee Jack (2-for-2, 2B, 3 RBI) and a walk to Serena Gonzalez (3-for-3, BB, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI) loaded the bases for Faith Hernandez (Dinuba, CA/Dinuba). Hernandez (1-for-3, RBI, BB) laced an RBI single to center field to score Kay. An RBI fielder's choice from Mia Landry (Cypress/Bridgeland) in addition to an error from Concordia plated two runs to give the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead. A two-RBI single from Taylor Vannett (2-for-3, 2 R, 3 RBI) followed by an RBI single from Clark extended the Bulldog lead to 6-1. A free pass to Annie Kay reloaded the bases for Kylee Jack who would hit a bases clearing double. Gonzalez closed the monster frame with an RBI single to center, making it 10-1 Texas Lutheran.

TLU's 10-run first inning marked the most runs scored by the Bulldogs in an inning since they scored 14 in the first inning against Hanover on March 2, 2023.

The nine-run cushion was more than enough for Bulldogs right-hander Katelyn Howard (Waller/Hempstead). TLU's junior earned her second win of the season, tossing 3.2 innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and walking none and striking out two.

Texas Lutheran added three more runs in the second via RBI singles from Vannett, Clark, and Kay. TLU tacked on four more runs in the fourth via Clark scoring on a Concordia error, an RBI single from Harleigh Russell (Fort Worth/Boswell), and a two-run home run from Gonzalez. The home run is Gonzalez's second of the season and 13th of her career, tying her with Kaymee Gooden (2016-17) for fourth all-time in program history.

Ainsley Davis (Rockwall/Jesuit (OR)) shut the door on the Tornados, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three in 1.1 innings of relief.

TLU continues SCAC play on Saturday, wrapping the series with the Tornados with a doubleheader. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 12 and 2 PM. The games 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), 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).