Softball Wins Two, But Falls in ASC Finals
May 2, 2008

IRVING, Texas – Going into the final day of the ASC tournament, the University of Texas at Tyler softball team needed three wins to take home the American Southwest Conference Championship.

The Patriots used late inning heroics tin the first two games of the day, but came up just one run short in the final game against Louisiana College and fell to the Wildcats, 2-1, to finish second in the ASC in just their first year of postseason eligibility.

UT Tyler started the day off with a rubber match with Mary Hardin-Baylor, as each had won one of the two previous meetings. UMHB won the most recent meeting on Friday, forcing UT Tyler into the elimination bracket and on a track that would see the Patriots play seven games in a span of a little more than 48 hours.

UT Tyler struggled offensively early, only scoring one run through the first six innings. The lone run came in the second inning when sophomore Julie Smith scored pinch runner Sarah Roeten on a single.

Going into the bottom of the seventh the Patriots were down 4-1 and were just three outs from elimination.

UT Tyler started off the inning with a single from Julie Smith. Smith would score on the next at bat with a triple from senior Lindsey Peters. On the next two at bats, the Cru would walk Amanda Busby and hit ‘Roo Richardson to load the bases.

Sara DeStefano would reach on a fielder’s choice in the next at bat to bring the Patriots within in one at 4-3.

With two outs, freshman Brittanni Hanna came to the plate with a chance to win it for UT Tyler. Hanna reached on an error that allowed Peters and Busby to score and win the game for UT Tyler, 5-4.

Sophomore Loren Parks picked up her ninth win of the year by getting the relief win and allowing just one run off of one hit.

In the day’s second game, the Patriots would face No. 2 Louisiana College for the fifth time this season.

The game would remain tied for four whole innings until the top of the fifth when Louisiana centerfielder Jessica Thompson hit an RBI-double to put the Wildcats on top 1-0.

In the bottom of the same inning, the Patriots attempted to answer the Wildcats one run and answer they did. Courtney Carrizales, Lindsey Peters, ‘Roo Richardson and Kate Bell all singled in the inning to score four runs and give the Patriots the lead.

UT Tyler played top-notch defense in the top of the seventh to win the game and force a second game to determine the ASC Champion.

Loren Parks pitched a complete game to garner her 10th win of the year and second of the day.

The win was the 40th of the season for UT Tyler and was a single season record for head coach Mike Reed in his seven-year collegiate coaching career.

In the final game of the day, the Patriots would once again face Louisiana. The Wildcats got things going early with a two-run homerun from catcher Erica Harwell.

UT Tyler cut the lead in half in the third inning when Courtney Carrizales hit a solo homerun down the left field line.

The game would remain scoreless for the duration and end at 2-1 to give Louisiana the 2008 ASC Softball Championship.

Kate Bell, Lindsey Peters and Stacy Shepherd were named to the All-Tournament team.

The Patriots finish their season at 40-7 and as runners-up in the American Southwest Conference. UT Tyler will now wait to find out if they receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The complete bracket will be announced on Sunday evening.

UT Tyler will play host to one of eight softball regionals on May 8-12 at the UT Tyler Ballpark.

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