TYLER, TEXAS – #1 UT Tyler softball fell by a score of 4-1 to (RV) Hillsdale College on Friday afternoon at Irwin Field in what doubled as both their home opener and the opening game of the UT Tyler Classic.
Kearston Gooch got the ball to start in the circle, and immediately worked through danger in the first inning. After a single and a walk to leadoff, she gave up another single but got a big out at the plate as the runner tried to score from second. A fielder's choice nabbed another runner at the plate, and she struck out the final hitter of the inning to keep the game scoreless.
She got another key defensive play in the second inning as her defense got a big out at third base for the second out of the inning before Gooch got a weak groundout to end the inning.
After a 1-2-3 top of the third, the Patriots offense connected on their first hit in the game as
Kaylee Cavazos ripped a triple down the right field line to lead off the frame. Two batters later,
Lauren Granger grounded out up the middle, allowing Cavazos to scamper home and make it 1-0.
Gooch would settle in to the game at this point, retiring 10 straight batters, including three straight 1-2-3 innings before surrendering a single to lead off the sixth. She would erase that runner quickly with a failed sacrifice bunt that turned into two outs after a rundown, and then got a key groundout to end the frame.
The Chargers finally broke through on Gooch in the top of the seventh, getting a one out single and a double to set up two runners in scoring position before an RBI single tied the game.
That single brought on
Kendall Selitzky, but an immediate passed ball scored another run. She got a strikeout for the second out, but two walks and a double plated two more runs before a relay throw to the plate cut down a third run from that double and limited the damage to four runs in the frame.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Patriots offense remained stagnant, getting just a walk before a foulout, fielder's choice, and flyout ended the contest.
Gooch for the game went 6.1 innings while allowing eight hits, three earned runs, one walk, and three strikeouts.
The Patriots offense mustered just one hit on the day, the leadoff triple from Cavazos, who came around to score on a Granger groundout for the only Patriots RBI.
UT Tyler gets back to work on Saturday, where they will face the (RV) Chargers yet again, along with Northeastern State. Those games will take place at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
