LeTourneau University

 

 

MEN’S TENNIS
LeTourneau University assistant men’s and women’s tennis coach Carlos Cardona recently coached at the 2016 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. At the tournament, Cardona coached Yuichi Sugita, who is currently ranked No. 97 in the latest ATP rankings. The competition, often referred to as the fifth Grand Slam, brought many of the world’s top players. At the tournament, Cardona was responsible for working with Sugita in preparation and on the court coaching for his matches. Throughout his coaching career, Cardona has worked with players throughout the world and brought that expertise to the LeTourneau men’s and women’s tennis team.

The LeTourneau University men’s tennis team lost to Texas Lutheran and Cal Tech, 7-2 and 6-2 on Friday afternoon at the Davis Tennis Courts in Longview.

The YellowJackets started the day with a match-up against the regional foe, Texas Lutheran. LETU picked up wins at No. 1 doubles – seniors Michael McLaughlin and Morgan Weaver – and No. 2 doubles – junior Tyler Grove and freshman Caleb Epps. McLaughlin and Weaver were victorious by an 8-3 margin and Grove and Epps also defeated their opponent by the same margin. LeTourneau nearly swept the doubles as the tandem of sophomore Robby Bundy and junior Curtis Martin lost in a tiebreaker at No. 3 doubles.

Texas Lutheran outlasted LeTourneau at No. 1 and No. 3 singles, winning both of the matches in a third-set tiebreaker. McLaughlin lost 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (11-9) at No. 1 singles and Weaver dropped a 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5) decision at No. 3 singles. Also in the morning contest, Grove lost at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-4, Martin lost at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 6-0, Epps dropped a 6-2, 7-5 decision at No. 5 singles. Plus, junior Kevin Warren lost 7-6 (10-4), 6-1 at No. 6 singles.

In the afternoon matchup against Cal Tech, the No. 1 doubles team of Michael McLaughlin and Morgan Weaver won their second match of the day, winning 9-7. The other victory for LeTourneau came from Grove at No. 2 singles, winning in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.

Next, LeTourneau will face East Texas Baptist University on Friday, April 1 at 3:00 p.m. in Marshall.

WOMEN’S TENNIS
The LeTourneau University women’s tennis team dropped a 9-0 decision to Cal Tech on Friday afternoon at the Davis Tennis Courts in Longview.

The YellowJackets began the match, dropping a pair of 8-2 decisions at No. 1 and two doubles and an 8-0 decision at No. 3 doubles.

LeTourneau sophomore Rachel Morisseau battled at No. 1 singles before losing a 7-5, 6-2 decision to Vinci Chen. Freshman Lauren Rockwell lost 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3 singles and sophomore Shelby Skomer lost 6-0, 6-1 to No. 6 singles. The YellowJackets were defeated 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2, 4 and five singles in the loss.

Next, LeTourneau will face East Texas Baptist University on Friday, April 1 at 3:00 p.m. in Marshall.

BASEBALL
The LeTourneau University baseball team dropped a 9-0, 8-2 doubleheader to No. 15 UT-Tyler on Friday afternoon at Irwin Field in Tyler.

The YellowJackets (6-11, 3-6 ASC) were limited to three hits in game one and seven in the nightcap.

UT Tyler (18-8, 8-4 ASC) had 11 hits in game one and 12 in the nightcap to pick up the series victory after LeTourneau had won the series opener on Thursday, 7-3.

In game one, the host Patriots stretched a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning with a seven-run inning. UT Tyler designated hitter Connor Green went 3-for-3 to lead the offense, plus lead-off batter Graham Welch scored twice in the win. Patriots’ starting pitcher Nate Imig gave up just three hits in the complete game shutout. He also struck out four and walked one to raise his record to 4-0. LeTourneau starter Andrew Harlan falls to 2-3, allowing 11 hits, nine runs (five earned) and striking out three.

In game two, UT Tyler scored seven unanswered runs after an early 1-0 lead by the visiting YellowJackets. LeTourneau took a 1-0 lead to begin the contest on an RBI single by senior Brandon Applewhite. Earlier in the inning, junior Jacob Simmons singled to center field; then he moved up to second on a wild pitch. After a walk to junior Kyle Jacobs, Applewhite brought in Simmons from second on an RBI single.

UT Tyler tied the game in the third and took its first lead of the match in the fourth inning off reliever Tanner Beattie. The Patriots scored three runs on four hits for a 4-1 advantage. After a double play had kept LeTourneau off the scoreboard in the sixth, the Patriots in its half of the inning scored three more on two hits to extend the lead 7-1.

Back to back doubles by Jacobs and Applewhite in the eighth for the YellowJackets cut the lead to 7-2 before UT Tyler got the run back in its half of the inning for what proved to be the final margin.

The two hits by Applewhite gave him his fourth multi-hit game of the season and Jacobs reached base to extend his streak to 16-consecutive games for the YellowJackets.

Next, LeTourneau will travel to Shreveport on Tuesday, Mar. 29 to face Centenary at 7 p.m.