No. 4 TLU Takes Two from DePauw

SEGUIN, Texas -- No. 4 Texas Lutheran took a pair of games from DePauw University in a matchup of 2022 NCAA Tournament qualifiers Wednesday night at Ed Kruse Stadium. The Bulldogs shut out the Tigers in both games, run-ruling the Tigers 8-0 in five innings in game one before topping the Tigers 3-0 in game two.

The Bulldogs have not allowed a run in their last four games; earning a run-rule victory in two of those games.

Freshman Serena Gonzalez (Corpus Christi/Foy H. Moody) continued her blazing start to her college career in game one, blasting a three-run home run in the third, bringing her season total to a SCAC-leading six on the season. Gonzalez finished with four RBIs to tie her career-high while sophomore Linzee Leal (Corpus Christi/Mary Carroll) brought in a career-high three runs.

In the circle, Ashlyn Strother (Seabrook/Clear Falls) collected her 10th win of the season, striking out five over the course of 5.0 innings while allowing four hits and one walk. With the strikeouts, Strother surpasses the 400 career strikeout mark - bringing her career total to 402.

Sydney Ouellette (Corpus Christi/Gregory-Portland) took over the pitching duties in game two, striking out two in 6.0 innings while allowing six hits and a walk. Amanda White (Lockhart/Lockhart) finished the job, collecting her second save of the season, tossing a 1-2-3 seventh inning. The pitching staff has tossed an NCAA Division-III-leading 12 shutouts on the year with 115 strikeouts to 23 walks and a .192 opponent batting average.

Texas Lutheran rolled over the momentum from game one into the first inning as Madison Johnson (Round Rock/Round Rock) got TLU on the board - scoring Caelee Clark (Montgomery/Lake Creek) on a ground out to the first baseman.

A pitcher's duel ensued between Ouellette and the DePauw pitching staff over the course of the next four innings. Bailey Hudgeons (Dripping Springs/Dripping Springs) plated the final two runs in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single scoring Leal and Johnson. Hudgeons finished 2-for-3 in game two.

The Bulldogs turn their attention to a weekend SCAC series at Austin College in Sherman, March 31-April 1. First pitch of game one of the three-game series is scheduled for 6 PM at Old Settlers Park in Sherman on Friday, March 31. All streaming and live stats links will be available 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).