-Bryce Hayes, TLU Sports Information
(Seguin) – The No. 2 Texas Lutheran softball team (41-4, 21-0 SCAC) advanced to its second consecutive Super Regional (there were no Division-III Super Regionals in 2020 and 2021) in dominating fashion Saturday evening – run-ruling the Chapman Panthers 16-3 in the second game of the best-of-five series before shutting out the Panthers 5-0 in game three to secure the Regional sweep. The Bulldogs run-ruled Chapman 9-1 in five innings to open the series on Friday.
With the run-rule victories in the firs two games of the reginoal, Texas Lutheran collected their 13th and 14th run-rule wins of the season.
Seniors Kelly Jurden and Casey Martin along with sophomore Madison Johnson each drove in two runs in Saturday’s first game as the Bulldogs stormed past the Panthers.
After scoring in all five innings Friday, Texas Lutheran would extend that streak through the first three innings of Saturday’s first contest capped off by an 11-run third inning.
Laura Hernandez got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first inning.
The Bulldogs would plate three runs on three hits in the second – scoring all three runs with two outs. Kelly Jurden would drive in Chassety Raines with an RBI single and, after a Jurden stolen base, Madison Johnson would drive in Jurden with an RBI double. Johnson would score after a throwing error from the Chapman short stop to bring the Bulldogs lead to 4-0.
The Bulldogs exploded for 11 runs on 7 hits and five Panthers errors in the third inning. The Bulldogs would score all 11 runs with two outs. Riley Futrell scored first on a throwing error from the Chapman third baseman. Chassety Raines would score on a throwing error from the Chapman catcher.
After walks to Brandalyn Dee and Kelly Jurden, Madison Johnson would drive in Dee with an RBI single. After a Panthers pitching change, Casey Martin would drive in Jurden and Johnson with an RBI single. After Faith Hernandez reached on an error and Laura Hernandez walked to load the bases, Martin would score on a passed ball. Bailey Hudgeons reached on another throwing error from the Chapman third baseman – allowing Faith and Laura Hernandez to score.
Kirsten Williams entered the game as a pinch runner for Hudgeons and would score on an RBI double from Kylee Jack. RBI singles from Raines and Jurden would cross the final runs of the inning to bring the Bulldogs lead to 15-0.
The Panthers, the designated home team in game one, plated three in the bottom of the third on a fielder’s choice, a wild pitch, and an RBI single to break the shutout campaign from Sydney Ouellette.
A Brandalyn Dee RBI single in the top of the fifth would bring the game to its final score of 16-3 Bulldogs.
Madison Johnson and Casey Martin went 3-for-4 in the box while Kelly Jurden and Chassety Raines finished 2-for-4 as the quartet combined for seven RBIs and nine of the Bulldogs’ runs.
Sophomore Sydney Ouellette tossed her ninth complete game of the season, allowing seven hits and three runs, all unearned. Ouellette would strike out three batters and walk none as she collected her 10th win of the season in the circle.
The series clincher as highlighted by a eight strikeout shutout performance from Ashlyn Strother and two RBIs from senior Sarah Metzer.
Through two innings, Strother struck out four of the first eight Panthers (28-14) via strikeout.
It would take until the third inning for the Bulldogs to get on the board. After a walk and stolen base from Kelly Jurden and a single from Madison Johnson that advanced her to third, Kelly Jurden would score on a throwing error from the Chapman second baseman giving TLU a 1-0 lead.
After a leadoff single from Faith Hernandez to start the bottom of the fourth, Bailey Hudgeons would move Kirsten Williams, who pinch ran for Hernandez, over with a sacrifice bunt before Sarah Metzer would score her with an RBI single.
The Texas Lutheran offense turned it on in the fifth scoring three runs on two hits. Following a leadoff single from Jurden, Jurden would come all the way around from first on a sacrifice bunt from Madison Johnson following a throwing error from the Chapman pitcher. After back-to-back walks, Faith Hernandez drove in Johnson with an RBI single. A Sarah Metzer sacrifice fly would score Laura Hernandez and bring the game to its final score of 5-0.
Strother (23-0) dealt throughout the night. The freshly-minted Schutt Sports/NFCA Pitcher of the Year Finalist finished with a complete-game shutout, her 10th of the season, and eight strikeouts to one walk and four hits. The shutout was Texas Lutheran’s NCAA-leading 21st of the season.
Faith Hernandez paced the Bulldogs at the plate with a team-high three hits on a 3-for-3 with an RBI performance.
Following the game, Kelly Jurden was named the Seguin, Texas Regional’s Most Outstanding Player.
The All-Tournament team was also named postgame with the following members from Texas Lutheran: Kelly Jurden, Casey Martin, Madison Johnson, Ashlyn Strother, Sarah Metzer, and Sydney Ouellette. Chapman’s Julia Muniz, Miranda Murphy, and Alli Tajii were also named to the team.
Texas Lutheran anticipates hosting a Super Regional for the first time in program record next weekend in Seguin. The Bulldogs advanced to play the Belhaven University Blazers – the winners of the Marshall, Texas Regional – of the American Southwest Conference (ASC).
The Supers dates, locations and times will be announced early this week along with live stream coverage and ticket information.