CLARKSVILLE, AR -- The No. 8 Texas Lutheran softball team (24-1, 16-1 SCAC) collected two run-rule wins Friday in its doubleheader over University of the Ozarks (AR) (8-17, 4-13 SCAC) in the Bulldogs first games ever in the state of Arkansas. The Bulldogs won game one 14-0 and game two 8-0 for their eighth and ninth run-rule victories and their tenth and 11th shutouts of the season.
The Bulldogs put up 14 runs for the second time this season in Friday's first contest, powered by a home run from Serena Gonzalez (Corpus Christi/Foy H. Moody) and three RBI each from Caelee Clark (Montgomery/Lake Creek) and Taylor Vannett (Kingwood/Kingwood).
TLU scored five runs on four hits and an Ozarks error in the top of the first to open the scoring. Caelee Clark scored on an error from the Ozarks catcher before Taylor Vannett hit a two-RBI single to score Annie Kay (Sinton/Sinton) and Harleigh Russell (Fort Worth/Boswell). Serena Gonzalez capped the scoring in the first with a two-run home run.
Texas Lutheran put up seven more runs on five hits in the third starting with an RBI single from Faith Hernandez (Dinuba, CA/Dinuba). After a hit by pitch and a walk loaded the bases, Caelee Clark hit a bases clearing double before scoring on an RBI single from Annie Kay. Infield RBI singles from Taylor Vannett and Chesley Swisher (Cypress/Bridgeland) brought in the final two runs in the frame.
The Bulldogs tacked on two more runs in the fourth courtesy of an RBI single from Linzee Leal (Corpus Christi/Mary Carroll) and a sacrifice fly from Kay to close the scoring.
Senior Amanda White (Lockhart/Lockhart) collected her team-best 12th win of the season, tossing three no-hit innings with five strikeouts. Freshman Jamie Burch (Sinton/Sinton) made her collegiate debut on Friday, pitching the final two innings and allowing two hits while tallying her first career strikeout.
In game two, junior Ainsley Davis (Rockwall/Jesuit (OR)) won her fourth game of the season in the circle, throwing a six-hit shutout with one strikeout and no walks. The Bulldogs defense regained their national lead in double plays in game two, turning two three times in the back end of the doubleheader behind Davis.
Taylor Vannett got things started early for the TLU offense, ripping a two-RBI double to plate Russell and Kay. Gonzalez would cap the inning with her second two-run homer of the day to give the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead after the first. With the home runs on Friday, Gonzalez moved into sole possession of second place on the TLU all-time home runs list with 17 in her career which only trails Haley Padilla's 24 career home runs.
The Bulldogs tacked on another run in the second on a sacrifice fly from Gonzalez.
After a scoreless third inning, the Bulldogs added another run on an RBI groundout from Vannett.
The Bulldogs secured the run-rule win with a two-RBI double by Annie Kay in the fifth. With the RBIs, Kay has now driven in a career-high 14 runs on the season.
With the two Friday wins, Texas Lutheran won its 71st consecutive conference series dating back to joining the conference in 2014.
Texas Lutheran returns to the field Saturday morning in Clarksville for the final game of the series at Wilson Athletic Complex. First pitch is set for 11 AM with the game being streamed on FloSports. All streaming and live stats links available on tlubulldogs.com.
For more information on Texas Lutheran softball, follow the Bulldogs on Facebook (@txlutheransoftball), X (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).
