(Seguin) – The Texas Lutheran Bulldogs (32-4) are returning to the NCAA Division III Softball national finals and will play in defense of their 2019 national championship after defeating Emory & Henry (Va.) 10-2 in five innings Sunday for the Seguin, Texas Regional Championship.
TLU went a perfect 4-0 in the regional, played at the Bulldogs’ Ed Kruse Stadium (Morck Softball Field).
The top-seeded Bulldogs opened with a 21-3 win over No. 6 seed Cedar Crest (Pa.) on Friday, eliminated No. 3 seed Christopher Newport (Va.) 4-2 on Saturday afternoon, and defeated Emory & Henry 5-0 Saturday evening to advance to the regional championship.
In the Sunday afternoon championship game, the Bulldogs opened with a seven-run first inning. Senior outfielder Skylar Ouellette started the scoring barrage with a two-run double to left.
After runs three and four scored on wild pitches, Sarah Metzer blasted a three-run home run to left field.
Emory & Henry, the regional’s No. 2 seed, put up two runs in the third, but Haley Padilla put momentum back on the side of the Bulldogs with a towering solo home run to left field in the bottom of the third. It was the 22nd home run of Padilla’s career as she added to her school record.
The Bulldogs tacked on a run in the fifth when Chassety Raines scored on a throw down to second base. Pinch-hitter Laura Hernandez ended the game with a double down the left field line to score pinch-runner Brandalyn Dee.
Sydney Ouellette improved to 14-2 on the year with 2-1/3 innings of relief. She was named the regional’s Most Outstanding Pitcher.
Metzer, the Bulldogs’ catcher, was named the regional’s Most Outstanding Player.
Metzer, Sydney and Skylar Ouellette (outfield), Chassety Raines (pitcher/third base), Kelly Jurden (outfield), and McKay Bloxham (outfield) were named to the region’s All-Tournament team.
TLU trailed Friday’s regional opener against Cedar Crest 2-0 after the top of the first but scored 21 unanswered before the Falcons added a run in the fifth.
Skylar Ouellette homered twice in the eight-run second inning. She started the inning’s scoring with a solo home run to left field and ended the scoring with a three-run shot to left.
Chassety Raines, the winning pitcher, also homered in the second inning. Haley Padilla added a two-run blast in the third.
Raines scored four times and drove in three. Kelly Jurden had two hits, two runs, two RBI, and four stolen bases.
Sarah Metzer went 2-for-2 and had two runs scored and three RBI, and Bailey Hudgeons and Padilla each scored three times.
The Bulldogs started Saturday’s first game with a pair of unearned runs against CNU to put the Captains in an early 2-0 deficit. TLU added two big runs in the sixth on a two-run single from McKay Bloxham.
Ashlyn Strother tossed a complete-game. She scattered seven hits and allowed two runs (both earned). She struck out two and walked two.
In the late game, fellow right-hander Sydney Ouellette spun a six-hit shutout of two-seed E&H. She struck out three and did not walk a batter in improving to 13-2.
The Bulldogs threw a pair of E&H runners out at the plate and benefited from a bases-loaded walk and an error in the two-run second inning. Skylar Ouellette and Bloxham each had outfield assist to cut down runners at the plate.
TLU put up three runs in the top of the sixth to break open the game. Kelly Jurden tripled down the left-field line to score two runs, and Rebecca Snow singled home Jurden with the fifth run.
It was Jurden’s walk in the first that drove in a run with the bases loaded.
TLU had only five hits against E&H starter Cameron Derr, but the Bulldogs took advantage of five hit batters and three walks.
The Bulldogs start play Thursday in Salem, Va. at the national championship finals.
TLU went 5-0 in the national championship finals in 2019 and won the university’s first team national championship as an NCAA Division III school.