SOFTBALL
LONGVIEW, Texas – Due to rain and severe weather making its way through East Texas on Tuesday late afternoon and evening, the LeTourneau University softball home-opening doubleheader scheduled for Tuesday, February 20 has been postponed.
A makeup date for the two games will be announced in the coming weeks, as all three teams are hoping to reschedule the games that were unable to take place.
LETU was scheduled to take on Grambling State University at 5:00 p.m. before squaring off against Centenary College at 7:00 p.m. in the nightcap of a three-game triangular that was at the LETU softball field. In the first game of the day which was able to be played to completion, Centenary College defeated Grambling State by a score of 10-1 in five innings.
With the weather system expected to stall over the East Texas area, a decision regarding this weekend’s American Southwest Conference series against Sul Ross State University will be in the coming days. As things currently stand, the YellowJackets are scheduled to host the Lobos for a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Friday afternoon before closing out the three-game set on Saturday at 12 p.m.
Stay tuned to www.letuathletics.com for all schedule updates regarding all 17 YellowJacket athletic teams.
BASEBALL
LONGVIEW, Texas –Clutch hitting with two outs would be the difference in the game. LeTourneau University’s baseball team would score four runs in the bottom of the second with three runs coming with two as the YellowJackets won their 2018 home opener over East Texas Baptist University. The final was 6-4 at Conrad-Vernon Field in Longview, Texas on Monday, February 19.
LeTourneau improves to 3-3 overall with the victory and avenges Friday’s 2-1 road loss at ETBU while the Tigers fell to 6-4 overall as Monday’s game was a non-conference game.
“One thing we talked about at the end of the game was our aggressiveness on the base paths tonight,” said head coach Robin Harriss in a post-game interview. “We had a few clutch hits with a solo home run and base hit to right field by Carson Dickey that brought in the runners.” “We still need to do better with two strikes and be able to put the ball in play, but those are things that we will work on this week.” “We played a little looser and a little more relaxed and I think playing at home was the key to that.”
Each team would collect ten hits in the game, but it would LETU that would find a way to obtain the hits when it mattered most, scoring five of their six runs with two outs while only stranding four runners. East Texas Baptist would manage to strand a total of nine runners in the game and make two costly errors that led to four unearned runs.
Offensively, the YellowJackets had five players all collect two hits each, with junior Bubba Valdezdelivering a big solo home run in the bottom of the first which was LETU’s only extra-base hit of the game. Dickey would drive in one run as part of his two-hit performance. Gonzalo Sosa led the YellowJackets with a two-for-three performance at the plate while also driving in two runs.
Sophomore Luke Ludwig went a season-high six innings for LeTourneau, earning his second win of the year after allowing just three runs on five hits and striking out five batters. Kolton Eberlan relieved Ludwig and threw two innings while allowing one run on five hits before Ryder Lognion picked up his first save of the year with one shutout inning of work.
A leadoff triple to open up the game would immediately put pressure on LETU, with a walk putting runners on the corners with no outs and the Tigers looking to score early. Following a strikeout, East Texas Baptist would call for the double-steal and pull it off successfully which would bring home the first run of the game. ETBU would manage to score one more run in the inning and take a 2-0 lead after half an inning of play.
It would appear as though ETBU would take a 2-0 lead after one inning of play with the first two YellowJacket batters in the bottom of the first recording two quick outs, but Valdez would have other plans with a solo home run that got LETU on the board and cut the Tiger lead in half.
A one-two-three second inning would bring LETU back up to bat quickly, with LeTourneau taking full advantage of momentum built up in the top of the second. Following a Lee Hosie infield single, LETU would use a one-out Jacob Jones walk followed by a Weston McKinley walk to load the bases with just one out in the inning. ETBU would get a grounder to third base and attempt to throw out Hosie at home, but the throw would be off the mark and allow the YellowJackets to tie the game at two and keep the bases loaded with just one out. Following a foul out by Eli Birriel, Sosa would deliver with a two-RBI single to left field and force a Tiger pitching change as LETU would go up by a score of 4-2. LeTourneau would then cap off a four-run fourth with an error by the East Texas Baptist second baseman which would allow another run to score.
Pitching would settle in similar to Friday following the first two innings of play, with ETBU scratching across a run off a leadoff double to start the top of the fourth, but it would be tough sledding through the middle portion of the game for both teams as no other real opportunities would present themselves. LeTourneau would manage to get the run back in the bottom of the fifth. It was on a two-out single by Dickey to drive in Noah Mahoney would get aboard following a fielder’s choice on a bunt, but the inning would end on the base paths as Hosie would be thrown out at home trying to score a run on a double-steal.
Scoring would once again stall until the top of the eighth inning when LeTourneau would send out Eberlan for his third inning of work, but give up a leadoff double and one-out single to put runners on the corners with game-tying run coming up to bat. Eberlan managed to get out of the jam while only allowing one run on an RBI single by striking out pinch-hitter Mason Aldredge and getting pinch-hitter Cameron Kneel to fly out and end the inning.
With no real offensive threat present in the bottom of the eighth for LETU, the YellowJackets would make a call to the bullpen following a leadoff single surrendered by Eberlan, bringing in Lognion to close out the game. The junior would strike out the first two batters he faced before issuing a walk to put the tying runner aboard, but a groundout would end the game with the YellowJackets coming out on top.
More non-conference action awaits LETU, with LeTourneau heading to Kerrville, Texas to take on Schreiner University in a three-game set starting at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 23.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
RICHARDSON, Texas – For the first time this season and the second time in his career, LeTourneau University men’s basketball player Caleb Loggins has been named American Southwest Conference East Division Player of the Week for his performances during the week of February 12 through the 17th.
Loggins had a career-week for the YellowJackets, averaging 24.5 points per game to go along with nine rebounds per game and 2.5 blocks per game as LETU won the ASC East Division Outright for the second consecutive season. The Lewisville, Texas native set a new career-high with 28 points in a 95-85 win at East Texas Baptist, playing 38 of the 40 minutes while also grabbing ten rebounds and blocking two shots. Loggins then made a big difference as the YellowJackets secured the ASC East Division Title outright with a 21 point, eight rebound performance and blocking three shots as the YellowJackets overcame a 14-point halftime deficit to win in an overtime win at UT Dallas.
The son of Stanley and LaDonna Loggins, Caleb is majoring in business administration at LeTourneau University. With Loggins winning the award to close out player of the week awards for the 2017-18 ASC basketball season, LeTourneau managed to have three different players named ASC East Players of the Week with sophomore Nate West and freshman Justin Moore also earning the honors this year.
TRACK AND FIELD
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – In his final opportunity to try and set an NCAA Division III national qualifying mark as part of the inaugural LeTourneau University indoor track and field season, freshman Alex Hindman would improve significantly in the pole vault. He took fourth place at the Aggie Twilight Invitational on Saturday, February 17 in College Station, Texas.
The Seminole, Texas native cleared the bar set at 4.78 meters (15 ft. – 8.25 in.), finishing only behind athletes from Texas A&M University and Stephen F. Austin. Hindman’s previous best mark was 4.69 meters (15 ft. – 4.5 in.). As it currently stands, the mark is the 16th-best mark on the NCAA Division III Indoor Performance list, which would qualify him for the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships.
Hindman will now have to wait and see if his mark holds in the top-16, as the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field season will continue through the end of February into the first weekend of March. If the mark allows for Hindman to qualify for the national championship meet, Hindman will compete Friday, March 9th in Birmingham, Alabama.
TRACK AND FIELD
LUBBOCK, Texas – In one of their final opportunities to improve upon their marks in hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships, LeTourneau University track and field freshman pole vaulters Alex Hindman and Austin Parrish tied for sixth in the pole vault. It occurred at the Texas Tech University Matador Qualifier at the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas on Friday, February 16.
Both Hindman and Parrish finished in sixth place by clearing 4.60 meters (15 ft. – 1 in.), finishing only behind athletes from Texas Tech University and Baylor University. The mark for Parrish is a new personal achievement for the freshman from Carthage, Texas while Hindman fell just shy of tying his record.
Parrish and Hindman are both looking to improve their marks enough to be among the top-16 in the NCAA Division III Indoor Performance list, which would allow them to qualify for the NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships. Both athletes will have one final opportunity to do so when they compete in the Texas A&M University Twilight Meet hosted tomorrow evening in College Station, Texas. Currently, a mark of 4.73 meters is needed to place among the top-16. After clearing the mark of 4.60 meters on Friday, both Parrish and Hindman would have been able to set a qualifying mark of 4.80 meters if they would have successfully cleared the bar on one of their three opportunities.
SOFTBALL
BELTON, Texas – It would take nearly four hours in all, but the LeTourneau University softball team would use a four-run 10th inning to overcome seeing the host University of Mary Hardin-Baylor score seven runs in the seventh to send the game to extra innings. The YellowJackets would claim a 14-12, 10-inning victory in game three of their weekend series at Dee Dillon Field in Belton, Texas on Friday, February 16.
The win allows for LETU to earn their first ASC win of the year, improving to 2-3 overall while the Cru fell to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play.
The offense would not be a problem for either team in the game as the two squads would combine for 35 hits and score seven of the 26 runs in the game in extra innings. The freshman would lead the way for LeTourneau, with right fielder Jacie Gilbert going a perfect six-for-six at the plate with two runs batted in and also scoring twice. Ethel Warren produced in a big way at the top of the lineup, going four-for-five with three RBI’s while also drawing one walk while Katelyn Trombley continued her hot hitting ways by blasting a three-run home run as part of a two-hit performance. Senior Ashlin Roach would even hit a home-run in the game for LETU as part of five extra-base hits by LeTourneau.
Ashley Burdine picked up her first win of the year, throwing the final four innings of the game in relief while allowing five runs on six hits. Julie Martinez would get the start in the circle for LETU, throwing four innings and giving up two runs on six hits while Faith Genoway would throw two-plus innings in the game and strike out three.
Scoreless innings were hard to come by throughout the day, but would be seen to start off the game as LETU would spoil a leadoff double by Warren to start the game by stranding her at third following a Trombley single that put runners on the corners with no outs. The Cru would not find much going offensively in their end of the first, going hitless to bring LeTourneau back to the plate. LETU would not wait long after that to get on the board, using a Hana Bonnersingle to put the leadoff runner on, but would see back-to-back outs threaten to strand another runner. Following a Gilbert single to put two runners on, Kelsi Coleman would extend the inning by reaching on an error that scored Bonner before a Warren RBI single made the score 2-0 in favor of LeTourneau. The YellowJackets would then see Trombley put a blast over the center field fence for a three-run home run as all five runs in the top of the second would be unearned.
UMHB responded to the five-run spurt for LETU by scoring one run by using a triple and a passed ball in the bottom of the second, but LeTourneau would counter by scoring three runs in the top of the third. Bonner and Shelby Barrick would get things going for the YellowJackets by collecting two straight singles to start the inning before Gilbert knocked Bonner in with a one-out RBI single that would force the Cru to make a pitching change for the second time in the game. Coleman would be hit by a pitch to load the bases which would bring up Warren, allowing the freshman to deliver again with a two-RBI single to center field and put LETU in full control up 8-1.
Things would quiet down until the bottom of the fifth when Mary Hardin-Baylor would use a leadoff walk followed by two singles to load the bases with no outs when the YellowJackets would make a call to their bullpen by bringing in Genoway. A fielder’s choice kept the score at 8-1 before another fielder’s choice would bring home a second run for the Cru. LeTourneau would escape the inning without any more damage and carry a six-run lead into the top of the sixth.
A Roach two-out solo homer would put the lead for LETU back to seven runs at 9-2 as UMHB would strand a runner at third in the bottom half of the sixth with LeTourneau just one inning away from picking up their first conference win of the year. Mary Hardin-Baylor would have other plans, however, as LETU would go down in order in the seventh before seeing two home runs come as part of a seven-run inning on seven hits that would tie the game at 9-9 and send things to extra innings.
Each team would have opportunities to push runs across in the eighth. LeTourneau would load the bases with two outs, but strand all three runners on a groundout to end the top of the eighth before UMHB would use a single and wild pitch to move a runner to second before seeing their end of the eighth go empty.
It would appear as though the ninth inning would be heading down the same path with LeTourneau seeing a leadoff walk erased on a groundout and run-down play before an Amber Filbrandt single put a runner on with two outs. Gilbert kept the inning alive with another single for LETU before Coleman would drive home Fillbrandt on an RBI double to put LeTourneau up 10-9.
UMHB would make things complicated once again as a one-out walk would be followed up by a triple that would score the runner to tie the game at 10-10 and put the game-winning run just 60 feet away with only one out. LeTourneau would rely on their pitching and defense, however, getting a groundout and fly out to end the inning and send things to the 10th.
The international tiebreaker rule would be put into effect in the 10th, with Trombley starting the inning at second before a wild pitch moved the freshman to third with no outs. Junior Macey Mize would double to allow LeTourneau to reclaim the lead at 11-10 before Bonner would reach on an error that would score Roach after she walked to leadoff the inning. A sacrifice fly by Fillbrandt brought home Mize to bring home the third run in the inning with Gilbert capping off the four-run 10th with a Gilbert RBI single scoring Bonner.
In the bottom of the 10th, Mary Hardin-Baylor would see two quick outs for LETU threaten to end the game without any potential comeback coming into play, but a stolen base and hit batter would keep the inning alive and put runners on the corners. After a second stolen base to move both runners into scoring position, a two-RBI double would cut the LeTourneau lead in half as the game-tying run would come up to bat. The threat would be averted with a game-ending pop out to third base as the YellowJackets would claim the victory three hours and 46 minutes after the game started.
SOFTBALL
BELTON, Texas – Errors would be the story of the night for the LeTourneau University softball team, dropping their American Southwest Conference opening doubleheader to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor by scores of 4-3 and 9-4 at Dee Dillon Field in Belton, Texas on Thursday, February 15.
The losses put LETU at 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the ASC while the Cru improved to 5-1 and 2-0 in the conference.
Game 1
In the series opener, LeTourneau would take a three-run lead heading into the fourth inning before seeing UMHB break out for four runs on three YellowJacket errors as each team became limited on the offensive side of things to scoring in just one inning. LETU would strand base-runners in both the first and second innings but would see the top of the lineup come back around in the top of the third with a one-out walk by Ashlin Roach followed by a groundout put a runner on second with two outs. An error by Cru pitcher Hannah Halepaska put runners on the corners for sophomore Shelby Barrick who would come through with an RBI infield single. After Barrick would steal second, freshman Katelyn Trombley would single to right field and drive in two runs as all three YellowJacket runs in the inning were unearned.
Mary Hardin-Baylor would have just one hit through three innings, but manage to get on the board in the fourth by collecting a leadoff single and fielder’s choice before a second single put runners on the corners with one out. An error on a throw down to second allowed for UMHB to pull back within two at 3-1 when a Kasi Cummings double brought in another run which prompted defensive changes for LeTourneau. The damage would not be done as a two-out error and walk made way for a two-RBI single by Makenzi Dawson who gave the Cru their first lead of the game at 4-3.
UMHB would work around a one-out walk in the fifth with an inning-ending double play and retire LETU in order in the sixth to maintain their one-run lead as the YellowJackets would be down to their final opportunity. LeTourneau would put the game-tying run aboard with one out in the top of the seventh, but see a strikeout and fly out to center field end the game with UMHB earning the come-from-behind victory.
Trombley, along with Hana Bonner each had two hits in the game with all six hits for LETU coming as singles. The YellowJackets would strike out only twice, but could not find a way to bring home any of the four runners that they stranded in the game.
Ashley Burdine would take the loss in relief, falling to 0-2 on the season after throwing 2.2 innings and allowing one run on three hits. Starter Julie Martinez would go three and one-third innings while allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and striking out two.
Game 2
The nightcap would see LeTourneau fall in an early deficit that they could never recover from as Mary Hardin-Baylor would plate four runs in the bottom of the second and tack on another in the third before pushing across two more in both the fifth and sixth innings. All four LETU runs would come in the top of the sixth as the YellowJackets would close the gap to 7-4, but saw the long ball make the difference for the Cru.
Momentum from game one carried over for UMHB to start game two, setting down LETU in order before putting a runner on with one out in the bottom of the first. LeTourneau would work around the runner as well as an error that allowed for a second base-runner to escape the inning unscathed and keep the game scoreless through one.
Bonner would collect the first YellowJacket hit of the game in the second inning with a one-out single but would be erased on an inning-ending double play for the Cru as LeTourneau would have just one hit through the first four innings. Leading off the bottom of the second, Mary Hardin-Baylor would see leadoff batter Linsey Tomlinson connect on a pitch over the center field fence for a solo home run before a one-out double, and two out walk put two runners on with two outs. An RBI double would make the score 2-0 in favor of UMHB before a second consecutive hit would drive home two more runs and break the game open with Mary Hardin-Baylor leading 4-0 after two innings.
Things would lead to bleak for LETU in the bottom of the third as UMHB would plate a run on a one-out single before loading the bases with two outs and Cru catcher Emily Bounds up to the dish. The two-hole hitter would wind up flying out to center field as Mary Hardin-Baylor left the bases loaded in the third which allowed for the YellowJackets to avoid an even more substantial deficit heading into the fourth.
Neither team would break through in the fourth inning before LeTourneau would finally start to get the offense going in the top of the fifth. Following a Macey Mize leadoff single, Barrick would hit a one-out infield single to put two runners on and a chance to cut into the UMHB lead, but a popout and strikeout ended the opportunity for LETU and killed any potential swing in momentum.
A Mary Hardin-Baylor one-out double would put two runners in scoring position. Cru would collect a two-RBI double from Dawson to open up a 7-0 lead and threaten to end the game early before the YellowJackets would get out of the inning and had a tall task with just two innings left to work.
A wild sixth-inning saw senior Kelsi Coleman lead off with a single to left field before Roach, and Ethel Warren would both draw walks to load the bases and no one out for LeTourneau with Trombley up to bat. A fielder’s choice followed by a flyout to right field would quickly change the inning to the bases loaded with two outs when a wild pitch allowed for Coleman to come home and put a run on the board for LETU. Bonner would drive home Warren on an RBI single before Jacie Gilbert doubled to left field which brought home two more runs after an error by the Cru left fielder. A Mary Hardin-Baylor pitching change would be countered by pinch-hitter Taylor MacKenzie for LeTourneau, who would draw a walk to bring the game-tying run to the plate. UMHB would manage to escape the inning with a groundout as LETU would score four runs on four hits and one error in the inning.
Breathing room for the Cru would be added in the bottom half of the sixth as a one-out walk would be followed up with a two-out home run which would make the score 9-4 in favor of UMHB. LeTourneau would be unable to put a runner on in the seventh, going down in order.
A total of seven hits would be had by LeTourneau in game two, with Bonner the only YellowJacket to record multiple hits in the game. LETU’s only extra-base hit of the game would come from Gilbert, who would go one-for-one at the dish with an RBI.
Faith Genoway fell to 1-1 on the season after throwing 3.0 innings and allowing five runs on nine hits while issuing two free passes and striking out four. Burdine would make her second appearance of the day, tossing the final three innings and allowing four runs on four hits.
LETU will look to bounce back against UMHB tomorrow in game three of their conference opening series First pitch in game three is slated for 12:00 p.m.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
RICHARDSON, Texas – Behind a 57-point second-half, the LeTourneau University men’s basketball team would overcome a 14-point halftime deficit. They forced overtime before defeating the University of Texas-Dallas by a final score of 107-100 to clinch the American Southwest Conference East Division outright at the UTD Activity Center in Richardson, Texas on Thursday, February 15.
With tonight’s victory, LETU ties last year’s team for most wins in a single-season with 22 as the YellowJackets are now 22-3 overall and 16-2 in the ASC. The Comets fall to 17-7 overall and 13-4 in the ASC with LeTourneau winning the ASC East Division by two games.
“I am running out of ways to praise the toughness and heart of this team,” said head coach Dan Miller in a post-game interview. “UT-Dallas played the first half great, and we found ourselves in a double-digit deficit at the break.” “We talked at halftime about just playing the way we do, and our guys responded the second half.” “We practice situations every practice, and tonight it showed with two baskets in the final 15 seconds.” “I am extremely proud of this team for back-to-back ASE East Championships and am excited to keep our season going in the ASC Tournament.”
In the game, Texas-Dallas would outshoot LeTourneau by finishing 39-for-78 (50.0 percent) from the field and connecting on six-of-17 treys (35.3 percent). LETU shot just 48.6 percent (34-for-70) from the field and connected on six triples, but made up for it with a 33-of-41 (80.5 percent) finish at the charity stripe. Only seven of the 41 free throws would come in the first half for LeTourneau, as the YellowJackets used a 19-12 advantage in points off turnovers to squeak out the road victory.
Sophomore Nate West took a majority of the free throw attempts, going 14-of-16 from the line and finishing with 26 points while also coming down with three rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block. Junior Caleb Loggins netted 21 points and fell just two rebounds shy of a double-double but had three blocks while freshman Justin Moore dropped 20 points and had five assists to go with three steals. Christian Seidl had 18 points off the bench, and a team-high nine rebounds in the game as LETU used a nine-man rotation throughout the night.
LeTourneau would briefly hold the lead in the first half, taking a two-point lead at 4-2 on a Caylab Herrera layup and again at 6-5 on an Alec Colhoff layup before the Comets would go on a 10-0 run to open up a 15-6 lead on the YellowJackets. LETU’s scoring drought would last 3:43 as a pair of Seth Mattson free throws ended the run for UTD.
Texas-Dallas would use the three-point shot to open up their largest lead of the evening, connecting on a triple with 9:48 left in the first half to open up a 31-15 lead before seeing LeTourneau pull back within 11 at 35-24 on a Caylab Herrera dunk with 6:50 remaining in the first period. LETU would be unable to draw any closer than nine points the rest of the half as Texas-Dallas would score the final five points of the half to lead by a score of 48-34 at the break.
To open the second half, LeTourneau would use an 8-2 run to get the score back to single-digits and build momentum as the lead would be cut to 50-42 just 1:47 into the half. The deficit would stay in single-digits from the 16:16 mark on in the second half as the YellowJackets slow chipped away at the Comet lead and got within two at 59-57 with 11:35 left in regulation.
Back-to-back buckets for UTD gave Texas-Dallas some breathing room as the lead grew back out to eight at 71-63, but it would be the YellowJackets who once again would fight their way back and end up tying the game at 76-76 with 5:17 remaining in the second half. LeTourneau’s first lead since the opening minutes of the game would come on a Moore layup with 4:14 remaining in regulation before the Comets responded with two straight hoops to go back up by a score of 82-80 following the final media timeout of the game.
Things would begin to look bleak for LETU as UTD would score five of the next seven points to go up by a score of 89-86 with 27 seconds remaining, but West would be fouled with 22 seconds left and connect on one of two free throws. Caleb Banks for Texas-Dallas would sink a pair of free throws to put the Comets up four, but West would quickly race down the floor for a layup to bring LETU back within two at 91-89 with 12 seconds remaining.
LeTourneau would be forced to foul, which they would do to Michael Forster with just eight seconds remaining and needing the freshman forward to miss at least one of the two free throws. Forster would wind up missing both free throws which allowed for Seidl to collect the defensive rebound and get down the court to hit a layup with just one second remaining. UTD would be unable to answer the bucket, sending the game to overtime tied at 91.
In the extra session, LeTourneau would allow a quick bucket to Dimitrius Underwood before scoring on their next two possessions with the second opportunity a bucket and free throw for Loggins. UT-Dallas would cut the YellowJacket lead down to one with 3:11 left in the overtime session, but six straight points would give LETU their largest lead of the game at 102-95 with just 1:42 left in the game. The Comets could get no closer than four in the final minutes as the YellowJackets would go six-for-seven from the free throw line in the extra period.
BASEBALL
SHREVEPORT, La. – LeTourneau left ten runners stranded on base. The YellowJackets’ baseball team would see the Centenary College Gents pick up two runs in the third along with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to down the YellowJackets. The final score was 4-1 at Shehee Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana on Thursday, February 15.
The loss leaves LETU with a 2-2 overall record while the Gents improved to 6-1 overall on the season.
“We knew that making the routine play was going to be the key to the game along with offense’ said head coach Robin Harriss in a post-game interview. We got what we needed offensively, and we certainly don’t want to leave ten runners on base, but you would think that 11 hits would lead to more than one run.” “Two out hits and clutch hitting is something that we will work on, and we will start to get the clutch hit once we start to settle into our roles and feel comfortable with the position that we’re put in.”
Four players for the YellowJackets would collect multiple hits in the game, with seven players total getting a hit in the game. Leadoff hitter Eli Birriel would collect LeTourneau’s only RBI of the game, while Gonzalo Sosa, Bubba Valdez, and Jacob Jonesall recorded one stolen base in the game.
Starting pitcher Bryce Brueggemeyer would take the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season, tossing 6.1 innings and allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out two. Brueggemeyer would face 31 batters total and throw 93 pitches on the evening, before making way for Kolton Eberlan who tossed a hitless 1.2 innings of work.
A quiet first two innings to the game made way for the YellowJackets in the top of the third as the bottom of the lineup for LETU would turn the lineup over as Jones would collect a leadoff single and steal second. Following a strikeout, Chaz Jackson would strike out on a pitch in the dirt but reached base safely as Jones moved over to third and kept things at one out. Birriel would keep the inning going with a single to right field that advanced Jackson to third and scored Jones, but an inning-ending double-play limited the scoring output to a single run.
Centenary wasted no-time in their half of the third to get things going, collecting a leadoff double and sacrifice bunt before a walk would put runners on the corners with one out. A throwing error on a steal by Cade Lastovica to second allowed for Cole Lavergne to come home and tie the game at one as Lastovica would take third due to the error. An RBI double made the score 2-1 in favor of the Gents as LETU would escape the inning with a groundout and fly out to end the inning.
LeTourneau would go one-two-three in the top of the fourth before the Gents tacked on a third run by taking advantage of a hit batsman and stolen base before a throwing error allowed for Lavergne to score for the second time on the evening. LETU would get a chance to tie the game in the top of the fifth as designated hitter Carson Dickey would draw a leadoff walk before Jones followed up with a single to put two runners on with no outs. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners 90 feet closer to home, but two straight groundouts ended the inning and left two runners stranded in the inning.
The final run of the game would come in the bottom of the sixth as a leadoff double for Ian Graham, and a throwing error would put two runners on for the Gents with no outs. A sacrifice bunt and strikeout would give the YellowJackets a chance to escape without any damage, but a Lavergne infield single brought home the second unearned run of the game to make the score 4-2 in favor of Centenary.
LeTourneau would get chances to answer in both the eighth and ninth innings, but the YellowJackets stranded two runners each in both innings as Gents reliever Cole Godkin earned his first save of the season by tossing two scoreless innings and striking out three.
LETU will play their home opener tomorrow evening when they host ASC rival East Texas Baptist University at Conrad-Vernon Field for a non-conference game. First pitch is 6:00 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
RICHARDSON, Texas – The LeTourneau University women’s basketball team would be unable to fight their way back from slow first-quarter that saw host Texas-Dallas take a 25-12 lead as the YellowJackets fell by a final score of 72-56 at the UTD Activity Center in Richardson, Texas on Thursday, February 15.
The loss ends the season for LETU, who finishes with a 5-20 overall record and 2-16 mark in the American Southwest Conference. Texas-Dallas, which is currently ranked No. 20 in the latest WBCA Basketball poll, improves to 21-3 overall and 15-2 in the ASC with the win.
Shooting would be an issue for the YellowJackets throughout, as LETU finished 20-for-68 (29.4 percent) from the floor while connecting on just five-of-20 three-point attempts (all five makes in the second half). The Comets fared better from the floor, hitting 45.2 percent (28-for-62) of their shots and five triples to overcome an 11-of-21 (52.4 percent) mark at the charity stripe. LETU and UTD would each collect 46 rebounds in the game, but a 40-24 advantage in points in the paint would be the difference in the game. LeTourneau would manage to hold a 19-7 lead in second-chance points over UT-Dallas.
Playing in their final games for LETU, seniors Savannah Cummings (15 points) and Ashley Reed (11 points) each found double-figures with sophomore Alexandria Thorne leading the way with 17 points. Cummings added six rebounds and two assists while Reed had three of LeTourneau’s ten assists in the game. Texas-Dallas was driven by a game-high 20 points in the game by Victoria Pena.
The deficit for the YellowJackets would come right away as the Comets would hold LETU scoreless for the opening 3:28 of the game while connecting on four shots to open up an 8-0 lead. UTD would continue to put pressure on LeTourneau early, pushing their lead out to double-digits before a pair of Jaila Leaven free throws and a Cummings bucket brought LETU back within seven at 15-8. A late run by UT-Dallas would see the Comets come away with eight of the final 10 points of the quarter to open up the 13 point lead heading to the second quarter as LeTourneau could not find an answer for their offensive struggles in the early going.
Not much offense would take place for either team in the second quarter, with the two squads trading buckets in the early stages of the second period before Dallas opened up a 37-19 lead with 3:19 left in the first half. Freshman Keauna Whitfield would hit a free throw with just 30 seconds left in the quarter which would amount to being the only point scored in the final three minutes of the half.
LeTourneau would manage to hold their own for much of the second half, using an 8-1 run in the third quarter to close the gap to 46-34 with 5:30 left in the quarter after the Comets would open up their first 20-point lead of the game. UT-Dallas responded with a 10-2 run of their own to combat the YellowJacket run and reclaim their 20-plus point lead at 59-38 before a Thorne triple at the buzzer pulled LeTourneau back to 59-41.
Six straight points to open the quarter by UT-Dallas allowed the Comets to take their largest lead of the game at 65-41 with 5:41 left in the fourth quarter, but it would be all YellowJackets from that point forward. LETU would use back-to-back Thorne treys to answer the 6-0 run by UTD and go on to score five of the next seven points to get back within 14 at 66-52 with 2:56 left in the game. Reed would wind up scoring the final nine LeTourneau points of the game, but the Comets would be able to use their early lead for the victory.
Matt Kinney
Sports Information Director