-Bryce Hayes, TLU Sports Information
(Seguin) – Senior outfielder Kelly Jurden is Texas Lutheran softball’s new career leader in runs scored after topping the mark to help the No. 3 ranked Bulldogs collect two shutout victories over Babson College, 20-0 and 1-0 on Friday afternoon at Ed Kruse Stadium.
The Bulldogs (4-2) offense came out with a bang, scoring five runs in the first inning. Jurden began the game with history scoring on a double steal with fellow senior Casey Martin.
With that opening run, Jurden became the all-time leader in runs scored in Texas Lutheran softball history with 182 runs scored surpassing Ashley Jacobsen ’15 (181). Jurden entered the season as the career runs scored leader in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) history with 180 runs scored, and now has 183.
Ashlyn Strother would cruise in the circle for the Bulldogs, tossing four shutout innings with five strikeouts and just three hits allowed.
The Bulldogs capped off game one with a 15-run fourth inning. That featured home runs from Chassety Raines and Kylee Jack – the first of her career. The inning would see the Bulldogs go to the plate 20 times and 11 different Bulldogs having plate appearances.
Jack would finish 2-for-4 at the plate with four runs batted in courtesy of her grand slam in the fourth and three runs scored. Casey Martin would finish 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored. Chassety Raines would finish 1-for-1 at the plate with three walks and her three-run home run in the fourth inning.
Laura Hernandez, who entered Friday’s game as the SCAC batting average leader, would finish 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored. Bailey Hudgeons would finish 2-for-3 with a double and three runs batted in in game one before tallying another RBI double in game two to score the games lone run.
Junior Amanda White closed game one with a shutout inning.
In TLU’s second game, sophomore right-hander Sydney Ouellette would be exceptional in the circle with a complete game shutout. Ouellette would register three strikeouts and allowed four hits on the afternoon.
Texas Lutheran will now prepare to head to Columbus, Georgia, to take part in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Leadoff Classic – which will host a number of the top teams in the country. Texas Lutheran will begin the Classic with a Top 25 matchup against No. 15 St. John Fisher on Friday, March 4. First pitch is currently scheduled for 11 AM. All streaming and stat links can be found on tlubulldogs.com.