LeTourneau University – Sports

 

Nate West Named D3hoops.com First Team All-South Region.

LONGVIEW, Texas – LeTourneau University men’s basketball junior guard Nate West has been named to the D3hoops.com All-South Region First team, as announced by D3hoops.com on Monday, March 11.

The award is the second consecutive season that West has earned D3hoops.com First Team All-South Region honors, with the recognition making him eligible to be named to the D3hoops.com All-American Teams to be released later this week.

West was an All-American Southwest Conference selection this past season, after leading the ASC with a 24.1 points per game scoring average and 4.1 made three-point field goals per game. The Houston, Texas native ranked fourth among all NCAA Division III players in three-point field goals per game and 12th in scoring average while also finishing as one of 14 players this season to record a triple-double. West’s 626 points this past season is the seventh-most in single-season history while even breaking the single-season three-point record with 106. The junior would also record top-10 single-season marks in assists (T-6, 136) and steals (7th, 51) to go along with the sixth-best single-season free throw percentage by an LETU player (85.9 percent, 116-135).

 

 

LeTourneau Men’s Tennis Falls 5-4 To Millikin.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC – Playing their second of four matches in four days at the 2019 Spring Tennis Fest, the LeTourneau University men’s tennis team would drop a 5-4 decision to Millikin University at the Shipyard Racquet Club in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina on Monday, March 11.

LETU now sits at 5-4 overall with two matches yet to come on their spring break trip while the Big Blue improved to 4-3 overall.

Doubles play would be evenly matched as all three matches feature back-and-forth action throughout with Jimmie Henson and Christian Farris pulling out a 9-8 (7-4) victory at number one doubles. Millikin would manage to take the number two doubles match over Bobby Clark and Nathan Schmidt by a score of 8-5 while Paulo Cressio and Jeffrey Golladay would fall by a score of 8-2 at number three doubles.

Neither team would show a real advantage over the other in singles play as Henson would drop a 6-4, 6-2 match at number one singles while Farris picked up a 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, injury retirement win at number two singles to bring the game back to a 3-2 LETU deficit. The Big Blue would go on to take a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Schmidt at number three singles and put pressure on the YellowJackets who would need to secure the final three points of the day for a team win. Cressio (number four singles) and Clark (number five singles) would manage to bring things to a 4-4 tie after earning a 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 11-9 and 6-0, 6-2 victories, respectively. With the match coming down to a win at number six singles, Millikin’s Nick Laramee would outduel Golladay by scores of 6-3, 6-2 to end the game with the Big Blue winning by a single point.

What’s Next?

Yet another unfamiliar foe is in store for the YellowJackets when LETU takes on Gordon College out of Wenham, Massachusetts in a 1:30 p.m. (ET) matchup. The Fighting Scots held a 1-4 overall record heading into a Monday morning match against Greenville College and are in search of their first win of the spring season.

 

 

LeTourneau Men’s Tennis Powers Past Purple Raiders 8-1 In South Carolina.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC – Looking to bounce back from Wednesday’s 5-4 defeat to Dallas Baptist University, the LeTourneau men’s tennis team would earn an 8-1 victory over Mount Union University at the Van Der Meer Tennis Center in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina on Sunday, March 10.

Surpassing last season’s win total, LETU is now 5-3 overall while the Purple Raiders slipped to 2-2 overall with today’s match serving as their spring opener.

The YellowJackets would be secure from the start of doubles action by picking up an 8-2 victory from Jimmie Henson and Christian Farris at number one doubles to go along with an 8-5 decision from Nathan Schmidt and Bobby Clark at number three doubles. Looking to sweep the doubles play and go up 3-0 heading into singles, LETU would come up just shy of doing so after seeing Zac Crowley-Kurth and Paulo Cressio drop a heartbreaking 9-8 (7-3) decision at number two doubles.

Farris (number two singles) and Jeffrey Golladay (number six singles) would pick up quick victories in their matches by scores of 6-2, 6-4 and 6-2, 6-1 to put LeTourneau up 4-1 before Henson would clinch the match at number one singles with a 6-2, 6-4 win. The YellowJackets would keep their foot on the gas and continue to put together complete games at number five singles (Clark) with a 6-2, 6-1 victory, number three singles (Schmidt) with a 7-5, 6-2 win, and Cressio at number four singles with a 7-5, 6-0 win to earn their first 8-1 win of the season.

With three matches still to play on their spring break trip, LETU will have an early wake-up call tomorrow morning with an 8:00 a.m. (ET) match against Millikin University at the Shipyard Racquet Club. The Big Blue are 3-3 overall which includes a 2-2 mark against NCAA Division III competition.

 

 

LeTourneau Softball Closes Out Weekend With Split Against #23 Transylvania.

SEGUIN, TEXAS- Holding number 23 nationally-ranked Transylvania University to just one run in a 5-1 game one victory, the LeTourneau University softball team would be unable to complete a doubleheader sweep by falling 5-2 in the nightcap of a neutral-site doubleheader at Ed Kruse Stadium on the campus of Texas Lutheran University on Sunday, March 10.

The split moves the YellowJackets to 11-7 overall as they handed the 3-1 overall Pioneers their first loss of the season.

Game one:

The Pioneers struck early after a leadoff double led to a sacrifice fly, but the YellowJacket defense held off any further damage in the opening inning. The LETU offense answered quickly scoring a single run in the bottom of the first as Katelyn Trombley scored Ethel Warren to tie things up at 1-1 and would take the lead on a Taylor Nichols RBI single to score Ashley Crawford.

With LeTourneau holding a 2-1 lead, Kiley Banks led off the bottom half of the third by reaching base on a hit-by-pitch before Crawford brought her around on an RBI single to right field. Freshman Kimmy Baker followed Crawford’s lead, recording her first career collegiate hit with a two-RBI triple which scored Nichols and Amber Fillbrandt to put LETU up 5-1.

Transylvania threatened in the final frame, putting two runners aboard before failing to bring any across as the LeTourneau defense would allow just seven base runners in the game.

Bailey Richey earned the win in the circle for LETU, tossing a complete game and allowing just five hits and one earned run through seven innings of work. Trombley and Nichols led the YellowJackets with two hits each, while four YellowJackets (Banks, Crawford, Warren, and Silver Montgomery) stole one base each.

Game two:

Transylvania was first to get on the board in the second game bringing in a run in the top of the second off a squeeze bunt with one out. Adding to their total again in the third, the Pioneers would score two more runs off two hits to go up 3-0 and take their largest lead of the day.

LETU chipped away at the lead in the bottom half of the third when Brianna Diaz took advantage of a throw down to second base and stole home, pulling the YellowJackets within two. Miranda Price would get LETU within a single run at 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI groundout to score Warren and put pressure on Transylvania heading to the final innings of the game.

The Pioneers would respond with two runs in the top of the sixth by taking advantage of an LETU error, single and a pair of walks to go up 5-2.

LETU posed a threat in the bottom half of the inning but would strand two base runners and failed to overcome their offensive woes in the final frame as the Pioneers would hold on to split the non-conference twin bill.

LeTourneau’s six hits in the game would come from six different YellowJackets with Diaz and Warren each collecting an extra-base hit. LETU’s lone RBI would come from Price while Diaz and Trombley each drew a free pass.

The YellowJackets will return to American Southwest Conference action at home with a 4:00 p.m. doubleheader against Belhaven University on Friday, March 15. The Blazers will enter the three-game series with a 6-10 overall record and 4-8 conference standing.

 

 

LeTourneau Women’s Tennis Falls 6-3 To Mount Union To Open Spring Break Trip.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC – Battling back from a 3-0 deficit following doubles play, the LeTourneau University women’s tennis team would be unable to complete a comeback in their opening match of their spring break trip in a 6-3 defeat to the University of Mount Union at the Van Der Meer Tennis Center in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina on Sunday, March 10.

The defeat now drops LETU to 2-6 overall while the Purple Raiders maintained their perfect record to improve to 4-0 overall.

Despite falling in all three doubles matches, the YellowJackets would put up an intense fight in all three games with Mount Union as Katharine Waldthausen and Maddison Brackenreg fell 8-5 at number one doubles before Gracie Favela and Terin Murray fell 8-4 at number two doubles. The number three doubles match would feature Samantha Trevino and Mimi Samdi for LETU as the pair would drop by a score of 8-3.

Great resolve would be shown at the beginning of the singles play as Waldthausen picked up a 6-2, 6-4 win at number one singles while Brackenreg would earn a 6-1, 6-2 straight-sets victory at number two singles. The match would become tied at 3-3 when Favela battled through a 6-0 first set defeat to win 0-6, 6-3, 10-4 at number three singles to make the final three singles matches determine the outcome of the game.

Mount Union would reclaim a lead following number four singles as Murray would fall 6-3, 6-3 and would then take the match with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Samantha Trevino at number five singles. Samdi would finish the game by falling 6-3, 7-5 at number six singles which gave Mount Union a three-point victory.

What’s Next?

After a day off, LETU will return to action on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. (ET) when they take on Gordon College at the Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center. The Fighting Scots are 10-5 overall heading into a Monday morning match with Greenville College and are currently 2-0 on their spring break trip in Hilton Head Island.

 

 

LeTourneau Baseball Holds Off McMurry, Takes Doubleheader To Sweep Series.

ABILENE, Texas – Picking up an 8-4 victory in game one of a Saturday twin bill, the LeTourneau University baseball team would be forced to fend off a late McMurry University to win game two by a score of 8-6 and sweep a three-game American Southwest Conference series at Walt Driggers Field in Abilene, Texas on Saturday, March 9.

Improving to 5-1 in ASC play, LETU now holds 10-6 overall records while MCM falls to 6-11 overall and 0-3 in ASC play.

Game One:

Continuing his early season hitting a hot streak, junior Bryce Brueggemeyer would get the YellowJackets on the board in the top of the first with a two-run home run after Lee Hosie would reach base on a hit-by-pitch. The War Hawks would find their way onto the board to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second after putting together a two-out rally capped by a three-run homer to left field as the LETU would face their first deficit of the weekend.

It wouldn’t take long for the YellowJackets to re-take the lead with Brueggemeyer drawing a leadoff walk followed by a Jacob Jones single and balk at moving runners into scoring position. Weston McKinley would tie things up with a sacrifice fly before a fielding error would extend the inning for LeTourneau and bring home Jones to make the score 4-3 in favor of LETU.

LeTourneau would add to their lead in the top of the fourth with an RBI double from Hosie to drive in Eli Birriel before a Brueggemeyer RBI single brought Hosie the rest of the way to put the YellowJackets up 6-3. McMurry would get a run back in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI groundout after getting a leadoff single to start the inning but would strand two base runners as the War Hawks could not string together any of their three hits in the inning.

Holding a 6-4 lead heading to the seventh and final inning of the game, LETU would take advantage of a one-out McMurry error along with a two-out single and walk to set the stage for Ramirez who would deliver with a two-RBI single to give the YellowJackets some breathing room. The War Hawks would be unable to put together any type of rally late as LETU would secure their second-straight conference series win to begin ASC play.

Picking up his second victory in as many starts, senior Andrew Harlan would throw the first five innings of action and strike out two while scattering seven hits before making way for Kolton Eberlan to pick up his third save of the year. Eberlan tossed the final two innings and struck out one while allowing one hit as all three saves have come in the past three games.

Offensive production would come from the top of the lineup for LeTourneau with Brueggemeyer and Ramirez combining for five of LETU’s 10 hits to go along with five RBI.

Game Two:

The War Hawks threatened first as they put two runners aboard in the bottom half of the first frame but would fail to get a run across. The LETU offense broke through in the top of the second to do some damage on McMurry with the first three batters reaching to load the bases and allowing for Matt Lowery put the YellowJackets on the board with a single to center field to score Jacob Jones. LETU would continue the rally with a hit batter to bring in a second run before a Kyle Guevara triple down the right-field line extended the lead to 5-0. Capping off the rally would be Hosie with a sacrifice fly to stake the YellowJackets to a 6-0 lead.

Jones and Lowery would team up once again in the third to add another run to the LeTourneau total as Lowery scored Jones from third base off an RBI single to right field. The War Hawks would break manage to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth as they added two runs off of three hits to cut the LETU lead to 7-2.

The five-run LETU lead would remain until the bottom of the eighth when the War Hawks rallied to score four runs on four hits and pull within a single run of the YellowJackets but would strand a potential game-tying runner at second.

LeTourneau would get one run back for insurance purposes in the top of the ninth on a Chaz Jackson RBI single to score pinch runner Mark Sanders as the YellowJackets would work around a pair of MCM hits in to win the game and earn their first series sweep of the year.

Lowery and Noah Mahoney would lead a nine-hit LETU output by collecting two hits each while Guevara would drive in a game-high three runs. Raul Martinez collected his first win of the year after throwing six complete innings and allowing two runs on six hits while Luke Ludwig (1.2 innings) and Ryder Lognion (1.1 innings) helped close out the game for the YellowJackets.

What’s Next?

LeTourneau will play their next eight games as non-conference contests with five of the eight matches coming at Conrad-Vernon Field. The slate of games will begin on Saturday, March 16 with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader against Wartburg University out of Waverly, Iowa. The Knights hold a 2-5 overall record with one more contest to play in Winter Haven, Florida as part of their season-opening spring break trip before coming to Longview.

 

 

LeTourneau Men’s Track Competes At McNeese State Relays.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Competing in the outdoor season for the first time this season outside the state of Texas, the LeTourneau University men’s track and field team would hold their own. It was against NCAA Division I and NAIA competition at the McNeese State Relays at the Bill and Lena Henning Track and Field Complex in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Saturday, March 9.

A total of four school-records would be set by the YellowJackets on the day, with the 4×100 meter relay team (43.69 – Solomon Siniard, Collin Jones, Nate Berlandier, and Stanley Williams), the 4×200 meter relay team (1:31.04 – Siniard, Jones, Dalton Heichelheim, and Williams), and the 4×400 meter relay team (3:31.76 – Siniard, Colton Pounders, Jones, and Heichelheim) all setting new program bests. The other school-record broken on Saturday would come to sophomore Lorien Nightingale who would run a time of 4:12.36 in the 1,500 meters to take eighth.

LeTourneau’s top finish would come from Javaughn Dantzler who would record a jump of 12.68 meters (41 ft. – 7.25 in.) in the triple jump to take fifth while also putting up a leap of 6.69 meters (21 ft. – 11.50 in.) in the long jump. LETU’s lone other top-10 finish would come from Collin Jones in the javelin with a ninth-place finish (40.17 meters, 131 ft. – 9 in.) while Evan Koehler would take 12th with a throw of 23.43 meters (76 ft. – 10 in.).

One of the busiest YellowJackets of the day would be Arvin Hrushka as the senior would compete in the 110-meter hurdles (17.37), long jump (wind-aided 5.85 meters, 19 ft. – 2.5 in.), discus (35.42 meters, 116 ft. – 2 in.) and shot put (10.54 meters, 34 ft. – 7 in.) while Daniel Lopez would run in the 1,500 meters (4:42.78) and 3,000 meters (10:14.19).

Jones (long jump – 6.43 meters, 21 ft. – 1.25 in.) and Koehler (100 meters, 12.14) would both go on to compete in other events as would Williams in the long jump (6.58 meters, 21 ft. – 7.25 in.) Also fighting for LeTourneau would be Nate Berlandier in the long jump (5.97 meters, 19 ft. – 7 in.), Nathan Glastetter in the 1,500 meters (4:35.29), and Matt Nusser in the 3,000 meters (10:37.70) to conclude a full day of action for the YellowJackets.

LETU will be back in the Lone Star State on Friday, March 22 to take part in the East Texas Quadrangular which will be hosted by the University of Texas A&M-Commerce. The meet kicks off a run of six-straight matches to take place inside the state of Texas for LeTourneau.

 

 

Melanie Shempert, Alexis Segura Set School-Records To Lead LeTourneau Women’s Track At McNeese State Relays.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Led by school-record marks from juniors Alexis Segura and Melanie Shempert, the LeTourneau University women’s track and field team would earn eight top-10 finishes at the McNeese State Relays held at the Bill and Lena Henning Track and Field Complex in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Saturday, March 9.

Segura’s school-record mark in the 3,000 meters would come as LETU’s best finish of the day with a third-place finish following a time of 10:50.71. Shempert would manage a program-best throw of 34.58 meters (113 ft. – 5 in.) in the javelin for a seventh-place finish while Segura would add a seventh-place finish in the 1,500 meters (5:04.44).

Kaylee Packer would notch a top-five finish by taking fifth in the pole vault (2.89 meters, 9 ft. – 5.75 in.) while Rebekah Stevenson took eighth in the javelin (27.68 meters, 90 ft. – 10 in.) and ninth in the hammer throw (35.56 meters, 116 ft. – 8 in.). The YellowJackets would also get top-10 marks from Lexi Funk in the javelin (18.48 meters, 60 ft. – 7 in.) and Alicia Griscom in the hammer throw (28.68 meters, 94 ft. – 1 in.).

In addition to Segura’s 3,000-meter time, LETU would also see Victoria Hood (12:19.49), McKenzie Craycraft (12:33.38), Allison Fuller (13:25.88), and Bridey Davis (14:11.15) all compete in the event funk would go on to also compete in the 100 meter hurdles (18.35) and 400 meter hurdles (1:15.20). Stevenson (29.06 meters, 95 ft. – 4 in.) and Griscom (17.62 meters, 57 ft – 10 in.) would both compete as Stevenson rounded out her day with a mark of 8.10 meters (26 ft. – 7 in.) in the shot put).

The only event of the day for Ro Galloway and Kristyn Matthews would be the 100 meters with Galloway just missing out on a school-record time by finishing in 12.97 seconds while Matthews put up a time of 13.31 seconds. Georgianna Roeder would also compete for the YellowJackets, putting up a wind-aided mark of 4.86 meters (15 ft. – 11.5 in.) in the long jump.

What’s Next?

Following a week off for spring break, LeTourneau will return to action on Friday, March 22 when they compete in the East Texas Quadrangular hosted by the University of Texas A&M-Commerce in Commerce, Texas.

 

 

LeTourneau Softball Falls At Sul Ross State On Getaway Day.

ALPINE, Texas – Falling behind by a score of 5-0 after the first inning of play, the LeTourneau University softball team would be unable to pick up a win on the getaway day against Sul Ross State University, falling 14-0 in five innings at Lady Lobo Field in Alpine, Texas on Saturday, March 9.

LETU now sits at 10-6 overall and 8-4 in the American Southwest Conference while the Lobos picked up their seventh victory of the year to move to 7-6 overall and 5-6 in the ASC.

The YellowJackets would be held hitless in the first inning and would see a potent SRSU offense score five runs on four hits with the Lobos stringing together four hits and a bases-loaded walk with one out to do most of their damage in the opening frame.

LeTourneau be unable to take advantage of a leadoff single from Haydn Parker in the top of the second as Sul Ross would manage to end the inning without seeing the YellowJackets move a runner past first before breaking the game open for good with nine runs on nine hits in the bottom of the second inning to go up 14-0.

Trying to get back into the game any way they could, LETU would be unable to capitalize on a one-out triple from Emilee Anderson but would hold SRSU scoreless in the bottom of the third. Only two hits would be recorded in the final two innings of play (one by each team) as the YellowJackets would never indeed be able to put together any offensive momentum in the contest which would allow the Lobos to take the series two games to one.

Outhit 15-3, LETU would see their three hits come from Anderson (two) and Parker (one) as Parker would also reach on a walk in the game. LeTourneau would also use a trio of pitchers in the contest with Samantha Akers (1.1 innings), Leigh Luker (0.2 innings), and Bailey Richey(2.0 innings) all seeing action in the circle.

Continuing their spring break trip, LETU will make a detour to Seguin, Texas to take on Transylvania University in a 4 p.m. neutral-site contest on the campus of Texas Lutheran University. The Pioneers earned their first NFCA Division III Top 25 ranking of the season this past week, entering the poll at number 23 in the nation while holding a 2-0 overall record.

 

 

LeTourneau Baseball Grabs Early Lead, Downs McMurry 5-2.

ABILENE, Texas – A strong pitching performance from a trio of hurlers along with four runs of support through the first three innings of action would prove to be more than enough for the LeTourneau University baseball team in a 5-2 road win over McMurry University at Walt Driggers Field in Abilene, Texas on Friday, March 8.

LETU picks up a win in the series opener for the first time this season to improve to 8-6 overall and 3-1 in American Southwest Conference play while the War Hawks fall to 6-9 overall and 0-1 in the ASC.

The YellowJackets took control of things from the start, collecting three hits from the first four batters with a sacrifice bunt coming as the only non-hit in the opening stage of the game as Jacob Jones would hit a two-RBI double to put LeTourneau up 2-0. LETU would then work around a hit batter and two-out single to hold the War Hawks scoreless before looking to add to their lead in the top of the third.

With the top of the lineup back up to lead things off, LETU would take advantage of two errors and Bryce Brueggemeyer two-run homer to left field to go up 4-0 through three innings of play as starting pitcher Kolbey Sharpe would keep McMurry in check. Both squads would then settle in and lock down on defense as it would take until the bottom of the sixth for either team to put more than one baserunner aboard in an inning as LeTourneau would maintain their four-run lead.

Despite seeing their offense be held to just two hits in the fourth through eighth innings, LETU would manage to hold McMurry to the same type of offensive help as it would take the War Hawks until the bottom of the eight to get on the board. MCM would do their best to take advantage of a leadoff walk and one-out error by the YellowJackets to plate two runs but would still face a 4-2 deficit heading to the ninth.

In their final at-bat of the evening, LeTourneau would manage to spark a two-out rally with a Lee Hosie double down the left field line before Brandon Ramirez, and Brueggemeyer would both draw walks to load the bases. A wild pitch would bring Hosie home to give LETU an insurance run going into the back end of the ninth where sophomore Kolton Eberlan would shut down the War Hawks and record three strikeouts to the four batters he faced to earn his second save of the season and give the YellowJackets a three-run victory.

Picking up his first victory of the season would be Sharpe as the sophomore would toss 5.1 innings of work while striking out five batters and allowing just two hits. The YellowJacket pitching staff would be dominant all night, recording 12 strikeouts and inducing 10 fly outs while also getting four groundouts on 130 total pitches.

The YellowJacket offense would be led by Hosie and Ramirez with two hits each, while Brueggemeyer and Jones each drove in a pair. Brueggemeyer would officially end his day one-for-one at the plate after drawing three free passes and laying down a sacrifice in his only other at-bat.

LeTourneau will close out their final weekend series in Abilene tomorrow as the YellowJackets will face off against the War Hawks twice more beginning at 1:00 p.m. The first game will consist of a seven-inning contest with the series finale scheduled to be a full nine innings.

 

 

Late Game Heroics The Story of LeTourneau Softball Doubleheader Split At Sul Ross State.

ALPINE, Texas- Beginning the weekend with a thrilling nine-inning 2-1 victory, the LeTourneau University softball team would fall by a final score of 7-6 in game two 7-6 to earn a day one split at Sul Ross State University on Friday, March 8.

The split brings the YellowJackets to a 10-5 standing on the season and an 8-3 record in the American Southwest Conference while the Lobos maintained their .500 record on the season at 6-6 with a 4-6 mark in ASC action.

Game One:

The Lobos broke the silence early-on bringing one across in the bottom of the first off one hit and one YellowJacket error. LETU threatened in the top of the fourth after they saw just their second baserunner of the game, but SRSU would escape the jam as the YellowJackets were unable to push a run across.

LeTourneau finally capitalized in the top of the sixth, recording their first hit of the contest as Haydn Parker scored Kennedi Dillow off a single to center field. With the score tied at one, neither team was able to produce a game-winning tally, forcing extra-innings.

The defensive battle continued in the eighth as just one hit was recorded between the two squads to keep things deadlocked at 1-1 and push things to a ninth inning of play. Dillow used her bat to get things started for the YellowJackets in the top of the ninth, reaching base on a single to center field while Maycie Walton followed by reaching base on a Lobo error. Hana Bonner got the job done with one out, laying down a bunt single to score Dillow from third and give the YellowJackets their first lead of the contest. Sul Ross escaped further damage by turning a double play to end the inning but would be unable to solve the pitching Samantha Akers who would toss a scoreless final inning to lead her team to a 2-1 victory.

Entering the game in the fifth inning, Akers earned her fifth win of the year from the circle for the YellowJackets, giving up just two hits in five innings of work. Jodie Vaughn took the loss for the Lobos despite a ten-strike outperformance and holding the YellowJackets to only three singles through nine innings. Dillow, Parker, and Bonner each recorded one hit for the three total YellowJacket hits in the game.

Game Two:

Both offenses showed up early in game two, as Sul Ross used three hits to jump to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. LETU looked to match that in the top of the second when Ashley Crawford led off the inning with a double down the third base line. Walton followed, bringing Crawford around to score with a single to right field. Ethel Warren would then put the YellowJackets on top 3-2 when she slammed a two-RBI single up the middle to score freshmen Kiley Banks and Taylor Nichols.

LETU came alive again in the top of the fourth, when back-to-back-to-back-to-back RBI hits from Warren, Dillow and Parker put LETU up 6-2. Sul Ross made up some ground in the bottom of the fifth, cutting the deficit to two after bringing across two runs off four hits to make it 6-4 heading into the final two innings of action.

The sticks remained relatively quiet in the final two innings as LeTourneau would maintain their two-run cushion and look to pick up their second win of the day. Sul Ross would have other ideas however as the Lobos ripped two singles and a double to open the inning and deadlock things at 6-6. Following a pitching change and pinch-runner, SRSU would end the game two batter later in walk-off fashion when an infield single scored the winning run to give Sul Ross a 7-6 victory.

Akers would be unable to improve her record for a second time on Friday as the junior took the loss in the circle after giving up five hits and three runs in two innings of work. 28 total hits were recorded between the two teams, with Sul Ross holding a 16-12 advantage. Warren led the YellowJackets with three hits, while Bonner and Crawford followed with two each.

With a series victory still up for grabs, the YellowJackets will return to action again tomorrow to face the Lobos in the rubber match with first pitch slated for a 12:00 p.m.

 

 

Alex Hindman Takes Sixth, Finishes As All-American At NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships.

BOSTON, Mass. – Clearing a height of 4.90 meters (16 ft. – 0.75 in.), LeTourneau University men’s track and field sophomore Alex Hindman became the first All-American track athlete in school history by taking sixth place at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Boston Massachusetts on Friday, March 8.

Hindman would be joined by teammates Austin Parrish (11th) and Jack Miller (16th) at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships, as the trio would all compete in the championship event.

Hindman would manage to clear heights of 4.75 meters, 4.85 meters, and 4.90 meters before being unable to make the bar set at 5.00 meters after taking a pass at 4.95 meters. Parrish would pass on the opening height of 4.45 meters and clear his first attempt at 4.60 meters before making his final attempt at 4.75 meters to finish just outside the top-10.

Competing for the first time at an NCAA Division III Championship, Miller would be able to clear 4.45 meters on his first attempt before missing out on all three attempts at 4.60 meters to finish 16th in the nation among pole vaulters during the indoor season.

The trio will now turn their attention to the 2019 outdoor season, and will next be in action on Friday, March 22nd at the East Texas Quadrangular hosted by Texas A&M Commerce.

Matt Kinney
Sports Information Director
Office: 903-233-3735
Cell: 903-736-7669
MattKinney@letu.edu
www.letuathletics.com