LeTourneau University – Sports

 

MEN’S GOLF

LONGVIEW, Texas – Shooting a final day score of 304, the LeTourneau University men’s golf “A” team managed to finish sixth while the “B” team took ninth in the 11-team Pinecrest Invitational at Pinecrest Country Club on Tuesday, March 13.

Overall, LETU would see the “A” team finish with a three-round total of 909 and just 11 shots off of a third-place finish while the “B” team would come in with a 54-hole team total of 935. Tyler Junior College and Bethany College (KS) finished tied for first in the team event after finishing with scores of 875 while Houston-Victoria took third with a score of 898.

The YellowJackets best individual finish would come from senior Mason Terry, finishing tied for 10th after a final round of three-over 74 to shoot a total of 223. Daniel Kay would give LETU two players from the “A” team in the top-25 after the final round 76 to finish with a total of 228 while Chris Clark (79-76-75) and Cody Taylor (76-75-79) each shot a 230 to finish tied for 25th. Just behind Clark and Taylor would be Keaton Williams with a 231 (71-85-75, T28) while Cory Gillespie shot a final round of 79 to finish with a 233 total (tied for 32nd).

Two more YellowJacket athletes would wind up with matching 54-hole scores as Buster Byrnes (76-82-78), and Dustin Dingler (77-78-81) were part of a three-way tie for 39th with a 236 while Caleb Biggers(76-80-82) finished 43rd, and Logan Tucker (84-86-85) finished 55th.

LETU will get an opportunity to prepare for the American Southwest Conference Championship meet beginning Monday, March 26th when the YellowJackets take part in the ASC Championships Preview Meet hosted by Concordia University Texas at the Avery Ranch Golf Club.

 

MEN’S TENNIS

LONGVIEW, Texas – Led by a strong performance from the top half of the lineup, the LeTourneau Universty men’s tennis team picked up a 6-3 home win over Texas Lutheran University at the Davis Tennis Courts on Tuesday, March 13th.

LETU improved to 3-5 overall with the victory and picked up their second consecutive victory while the Bulldogs fell to 5-3 overall.

The YellowJackets would take a 2-1 lead after the doubles matches, taking wins in both the number one and number two doubles matches before dropping the number three doubles match. Christian Farris and Jimmie Henson earned an 8-1 win at number one doubles before seeing Robby Bundy and Zac Crowley-Kurth earn a 9-7 victory at number two doubles which would clinch a lead heading into singles play. The number three doubles match would not go in favor of LETU as Nash Best, and Dale Wallace II could not overcome an early deficit in an 8-2 defeat.

Farris would make quick work of his opponent at number one singles, earning a 6-2, 6-4 victory while Henson would earn a 7-5, 6-2 win at number two doubles to put the YellowJackets just one point away from the team victory. A come-from-behind win by Bundy at number three singles (5-7, 6-3, 11-9) clinched the victory for LeTourneau, which would be followed up by a number four singles victory for Crowley-Kurth by scores of 3-6, 6-3, 10-3. LETU’s only two losses in singles play came at number five and six singles, with Collin Patterson (number five singles, 1-6, 1-6) and Cameron Wall (number six singles, 7-6 {7-4}, 3-6, 6-10) both dropping their respective matches.

Tuesday’s match will be the only action of spring break week for the LeTourneau men, with the next step for the YellowJackets coming on Monday, March 19 at 9:00 a.m. against Wisconsin Eau-Claire.

 

WOMEN’S TENNIS

RICHARDSON, Texas – For the second time in her career and the first time this season, LeTourneau University junior women’s tennis player Terin Murray has been named American Southwest Conference East Division Women’s Tennis Player of the Week.

Murray went 2-0 at number two singles and 3-0 at second doubles last week with her only loss coming at number one singles to help the YellowJackets to a 2-1 record. In a win over Mary Hardin-Baylor, she won at singles 6-2, 6-1 and 8-2 with partner Katy Hall. Murray picked up a 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 victory against Concordia Texas and won 9-7 in doubles. Against Sul Ross State, she lost in the top singles but won 8-3 in doubles to finish the week a combined 5-1 overall.

A native of Iowa Park, Texas, Murray is the daughter of Christina Young and Troy Murray.

 

SOFTBALL

LONGVIEW, Texas – A five-run fifth inning by the visiting Sul Ross State University softball team would force the LeTourneau University softball team to need extra-innings to come away with a 6-5, eight-inning win on Tuesday, March 13th at the LETU Softball Field.

The win gives LETU their first American Southwest Conference Series win of the year to improve to 5-9 overall and 4-8 in the ASC. SRSU falls to 9-7 overall with the loss and 7-5 in the ASC with all seven losses coming away from the comfort of their home field.

LeTourneau would shut down the Lobos offensively early in the game, limiting Sul Ross to just two hits through the first four innings of play thanks in part to a shutdown pitching performance from sophomore Julie Martinez. The YellowJackets would use a two-run first inning with an RBI single from catcher Macey Mize to score leadoff batter Ethel Warren followed by an Ashlin Roach RBI double to take the two-run lead just one inning into the game.

Kelsi Coleman would give LETU a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second with a one-out infield single to score Jacie Gilbert as part of a two-run second by LeTourneau to go up 4-0 and looking for more. An RBI single by Hana Bonner in the bottom of the third to score Katelyn Trombley, but the YellowJackets would see their offensive production go silent from that point forward after they stranded eight runners in the final four innings of regulation.

Sul Ross State scored all five of their runs in the top of the fifth, utilizing two walks and an LETU error to go along with four hits to tie the game after trailing the entire game. LeTourneau’s best chance to reclaim the lead would come in the bottom of the fifth, but fail to capitalize on putting two runners on with just one out.

In extra innings, the YellowJackets would force a one-two-three inning from the Lobos, presenting themselves with the opportunity to win in their half of the eighth inning. Roach would get on with a leadoff single and move to second on a sacrifice bunt by Trombley that saw both runners safely reach base. Fillbrandt would then take her turn to lay down a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third with one out. With Bonner up to bat, the YellowJackets elected to lay down a sacrifice bunt and send Roach for home, beating the throw and tag to score the game-winning run.

Junior Faith Genoway earned the win in the circle, throwing four innings in relief while allowing just two hits. Martinez took the no-decision after pitching four innings of work, giving up only a total of four hits to 17 total batters.

Mize led LETU with a three-for-five effort at the plate with two RBIs while Gilbert and Trombley each had two hits in three at-bats. LeTourneau collected a total of 14 hits in the game, with eight different batters getting at least one hit.

An eight-game in the six-day stretch will conclude tomorrow morning for the YellowJackets, with LETU taking on Trinity University Texas in non-conference action for a doubleheader starting at 11:00 a.m.

 

WOMEN’S TENNIS

AUSTIN, Texas – Facing off against their third opponent of the year from the American Southwest Conference West Division, the LeTourneau University women’s tennis team would run into a hot-hitting Concordia University Texas squad. It turned into a 7-2 loss at the River Place Country Club in Austin, Texas on Saturday, March 10.

LETU is now 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the midst of a three-game road trip while the Tornadoes improve to 5-3 overall.

The YellowJackets would manage to take one of the three doubles matches, earning a 9-7 victory at No. 2 doubles from Terin Murray and Katy Hall while Maddison Brackenreg and Gracie Favela would drop an 8-6 game at No. 1 doubles. In No. 3, doubles action, Lauren Rockwell and Mikayla Thomas would drop an 8-3 decision which would put LeTourneau in a 2-1 hole heading into the singles matches.

In singles action, LeTourneau would have both Brackenreg and Rockwell be forced to retire their matches at No. 1 and No. 4 singles while Murray would earn a 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 victory at No. 2 singles for LETU’s only other point of the day. The No. 3 singles match saw Hall drop a close decision, taking a 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 loss while Samantha Trevino played at No. 5 singles and fell 6-2, 6-1. Rounding out the singles matches was freshman Hannah Moore at No. 6 singles, falling 6-0, 6-1.

LeTourneau will look to bounce back on Sunday morning at 10 a.m., taking on Sul Ross State University in a neutral-site match which will be in San Antonio, Texas.

 

TRACK AND FIELD

CONWAY, Ark. – LeTourneau University turned its focus to the inaugural outdoor track and field season. The YellowJackets men’s track and field team would be led by a 1-2 finish in the pole vault by freshman Austin Parrish and Alex Hindman as part of multiple new schools and personal records set at the University of Central Arkansas Open at the Bill Stephens Track/Soccer Complex in Conway, Arkansas.

Parrish earned his first victory of the year, besting teammate Parrish as both athletes would finish in the pole vault with a mark of 4.70 meters (15 ft. – 5 in.). The victory officially goes to Parrish, as he was able to clear the target in an attempt earlier than Hindman would be able to do so, as the 1-2 finish would be part of 17 top-10 finishes by YellowJacket athletes on Saturday.

Other top-10 finishes in field events included four athletes finishing in the top-10 in the javelin throw which would be led by a sixth-place finish by senior Steven McDonnel (41.89 meters, 137 ft. – 5 in.). Also finishing among the top-10 in the javelin was Hindman. He logged in at seventh (40.34 meters, 132 ft. – 4 in.). Michael Brooks came in eighth (39.82 meters, 130 ft. – 8 in.), and Derek Byler in 10th (34.76 meters, 114 ft. – 0 in.). Arvin Hrushka would just finish outside the top-10 with a 13th-place finish (28.30 meters, 92 ft. – 10 in.).

Nate Berlandier would record a sixth-place finish in the triple jump after finishing with a mark of 12.95 meters (42 ft. – 6 in.) while Brooks would take ninth in the high jump (1.70 meters, 5 ft. – 7 in.). Hrushka came in just behind Brooks in the high jump with a 10th-place finish (1.65 meters, 5 ft. – 5 in.) while McDonell would add a second top-10 finish by finishing 10th in the discus throw (30.30 meters, 99 ft. – 5 in.). Keishaun McMillian would also add a 10th-place finish for LETU in the long jump with a mark of 6.11 meters (20 ft. – 0.5 in.). Stanley Williams was (15th, 5.90 meters, 19 ft. – 4.25 in.), Berlandier (16th, 5.81 meters, 19 ft. – 0.75 in.), and Parrish (17th, 5.80 meters, 19 ft. – 0.5 in.) also recorded marks in the long jump.

In track events, the YellowJackets would be led by a fourth-place finish from the 4×800 meter relay team. It consisted of Lorien Nightingale, Nathan Glastetter, Hrushka, and Daniel Bucher with a time of 8:43.32 while the 4×100 meter relay team consisting of Austin Pavatt, McMillian, Berlandier, and Williams took sixth with a time of 44.03.

Two more top-eight finishes came in the 110-meter hurdles with Byler finishing fifth (17.14) and Hrushka taking eighth (18.66) while Williams would record a sixth-place finish in the 100 meters (11.33). Junior Michael Field rounded out the top-eight finishes for LETU with an eighth-place finish in the 5,000 meters (16:50.78) while Austin Coblentz would just miss out on a top-10 finish by taking 13th with a time of 17:53.14.

LeTourneau also had Pavatt (16th, 12.34), Collin Olson (18th, 12.58) and McMillian (20th, 13.19) compete in the 100 meters, while Olson would go on to also compete in the 200 meters (21st, 25.73). The only other event featuring YellowJacket athletes on Saturday would be the 1,500 meters, with Nightingale (4:19.71), Field (4:21.42), and Glastetter (4:24.03) all set new personal records in the event.

A return trip to the Natural State will be in store for the LeTourneau track team when they are next in action on Saturday, March 24 at the Harding University Invitational.

 

MEN’S TENNIS

AUSTIN, Texas – Following three tightly contested doubles matches, the LeTourneau University men’s tennis team would be unable to mount a comeback in a 7-2 road loss to Concordia University Texas at the River Place Country Club in Austin, Texas on Saturday, March 10th.

The loss leaves LETU with a 1-5 overall record while the Tornadoes improved to 6-2 with the victory.

All three doubles matches would be tightly played throughout, with Christian Farris and Jimmie Henson teaming up to come away with an 8-5 victory at No. 1 doubles following an 8-3 loss for Dale Wallace II and Nash Best at No. 3 doubles. It would end up being the No. 2 doubles match that would decide who would take a 2-1 lead into the singles matches, as Robby Bundy and Zac Crowley-Kurth would be unable to pull out the victory in an 8-6 defeat.

Singles action would not fare much better for the YellowJackets picking up a win by Bundy at No. 3 singles with a 6-2, 6-4 win while seeing two three-set losses at No. 1 and No. 2 singles. The No. 1 singles match would see Farris win the first set 6-4 before dropping sets two and three by scores of 6-4 and 7-5 while Henson would fall by a score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 despite winning the first set. No. 4 singles action saw Crowley-Kurth drop a 6-4, 6-0 match while Collin Patterson saw his only action of the day at No. 5 singles and fell 6-0, 6-2. The final game of the day saw Best at No. 6 singles be forced to retire after trailing 7-5, 4-1 in his match.

Tomorrow will close out a three-match road trip for LeTourneau, with first-serve scheduled for 10:00 a.m. in San Antonio, Texas against Sul Ross State University.

 

BASEBALL

LONGVIEW, Texas – The LeTourneau University baseball team would battle back from a 7-5 deficit to tie the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the seventh before seeing McMurry University score three runs in the top of the ninth to take a 10-7 victory over the YellowJackets at Conrad-Vernon Field on Saturday, March 10th.

LETU now sits at 10-7 overall and 4-2 in the American Southwest Conference, winning two out of three games to win their second consecutive ASC series. The War Hawks salvage one game out of the three-game series to improve to 5-11 overall and 1-5 in the ASC.

Each team would push across one run in the first inning, with MCM taking advantage of an infield single to make their early lead of the game before seeing LETU come back with a Bubba Valdez RBI double down the right-field line to score Eli Birriel. LeTourneau would then manage to take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth on a Jacob Jones sacrifice fly to score Carson Dickey, and then see Will Bradshaw deliver a big two-run home run to give the YellowJackets a 4-1 lead heading to the fifth.

McMurry would waste no time cutting into the lead, scoring three runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game at four following a four-hit inning. Catcher Noah Mahoney allowed for LETU to reclaim the lead for the final time in the bottom of the fifth inning. Mahoney sent the second pitch he saw off the athletics field house in left-center field for a solo home run which would give the YellowJackets a 5-4 lead, but a three-run sixth inning with just one hit would provide McMurry their first lead since the first inning at 7-5.

Things would settle down until the bottom of the seventh when LETU would manage to plate two runs on four hits with a Mahoney RBI single and Dickey RBI single knotting the game up at 7-7 as LeTourneau would do all their damage in the inning with two outs.

The Warhawks would have one last push, however. They put on four of their first five batters in the top of the ninth inning aboard which included a two-RBI double in the right-center field gap which was then followed up by an RBI double to the left-center field gap to put MCM up by a score of 10-7. No comeback would be in store for the YellowJackets in the bottom of the ninth, as LETU would muster only a one-out walk.

A big problem for the YellowJackets in the game would be stranding runners, as LeTourneau left nine runners on base despite collecting ten hits in the game. Valdez and Mahoney would lead the offensive attack with two hits each while Mahoney and Bradshaw each batted in two runs. Junior Brandon Ramirez would draw a team-high two walks on the afternoon, with LETU getting four free passes in all.

LeTourneau would use four pitchers total in the game with Bryce Brueggemeyer getting the start and going 4.1 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on seven hits. Kolton Eberlan would come in relief of Brueggemeyer and toss 0.2 innings, allowing three runs despite not allowing any hits while Haden Simmons (3.1 innings) and Gonzalo Sosa (0.2 innings) would also see action on the mound.

The YellowJackets will return to action with non-conference action on Tuesday, March 13 at 2:00 p.m. with a pair of seven-inning games at Arlington Baptist University. Both games will be at Air Hogs stadium, where LETU played their first three games of the year this season and went 2-1 overall.

 

SOFTBALL

LONGVIEW, Texas – LeTourneau University softball was facing a two-run hole after one inning of play when the team would be limited to just three hits in the game in an 8-2 loss to Louisiana College at the LETU Softball Field in Longview, Texas on Saturday, March 10.

The loss leaves LETU with a 3-8 overall record, and 2-7 mark in the American Southwest Conference as the Wildcats win the series two games to one and improve to 6-7 overall and 6-3 in the ASC.

LC would open up their two-run lead right away in the opening inning of the game, scoring two runs on a single and would double their lead to 4-0 in the top of the third on a two-RBI standup triple. The deficit for LeTourneau would grow to 5-0 in the top of the fourth and get all the way to 8-0 in the top of the sixth before the YellowJackets would manage to score their only two runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch and Ethel Warren sacrifice fly.

LeTourneau would be limited to just three hits total in the game, with senior Kelsi Coleman collecting two of the three and pinch-hitter Taylor MacKenzie managed the other. The YellowJackets would struggle again with Wildcat starting pitcher Savannah Settle, who threw her second complete game of the series as LETU would find only four total baserunners in the game.

In the circle, sophomore Amber Fillbrandt would take the loss after throwing two-plus innings and allowing four runs on three hits while also allowing three walks and striking out only one batter. Faith Genoway (2.0 innings) and Ashley Burdine (3.0 innings) would also appear in the circle for LeTourneau, combining to allow four runs on eight hits while striking out five batters.

The eight-game homestand for LETU will continue on Monday evening when the YellowJackets host Sul Ross State University for an ASC doubleheader starting at 5:00 p.m. The doubleheader is being made up after initially being postponed during the final weekend in February.

Matt Kinney
Sports Information Director