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WOMEN’S GOLF
AUSTIN, Texas – A 20-stroke improvement by the LeTourneau University women’s golf team allowed for the YellowJackets to move up one spot and finish sixth at the American Southwest Conference Championship held at Avery Ranch Golf Club in Austin, Texas on Tuesday, April 24.
Overall, LETU finished with a two-day total of 718, one stroke ahead of Howard Payne University who finished seventh with a score of 719. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor took the team title in a playoff over Texas-Tyler after both teams finished the 36-hole meet with a total of 636.
“We were able to bounce back from yesterday’s first round and improve our score which led to us moving up a spot in the team standings,” said head coach Felix Moesmang in a post-meet interview. “Given the circumstances, we put ourselves in, we did the best that we could today and were able to overtake Howard Payne University for a sixth-place finish.”
From an individual standpoint, sophomore Lauren Johnson was the lone YellowJacket to finish in the top-20 by placing 19th with a final round of 82 to finish with a 36-hole score of 171. Freshman Bree Mask took 22nd after improving her score six strokes to finish with an 84 for a total of 174 while Rachael Green (tied 30th, 97-88-185) and Melanie Pedigo (33rd, 93-95-188) closed out LETU’s team total.
WOMEN’S GOLF
AUSTIN, Texas – The LeTourneau University women’s golf team is in seventh-place following the first round of the 2018 American Southwest Conference Women’s Golf Championship held at Avery Ranch Golf Club in Austin, Texas on Monday, April 23.
As a team, LETU shot a first-round score of 369, seven shots ahead of California Santa Cruz. Mary Hardin-Baylor currently leads the team race after a day one total of 316, followed by reigning four-time ASC Champion Texas-Tyler (322).
“We got off to a rocky start, but we are looking forward to tomorrow,” said head coach Felix Moesmang in a post-round interview. “Our girls are capable of finishing strong and hopefully tomorrow’s scores will reflect that.”
Individually on the 5,826-yard course, the top YellowJacket finisher was sophomore Lauren Johnson who tied for 23rd with a first-round tally of 89. Bree Mask sits one shot back of Johnson and is tied for 25th (90) while Melanie Pedigo (30th, 93) and Rachael Green (Tied 34th, 97) totaled out the LETU team score.
18 more holes await the eight-teams to decide this year’s conference champion. Final round action will get underway just after 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning with a shotgun start.
WOMEN’S GOLF
LONGVIEW, Texas – Eight teams will challenge for the 2018 American Southwest Conference Women’s Golf Championship when play in the 36-hole event begins Monday, April 23 at the Avery Ranch Golf Club in Austin, Texas.
Scheduled in the 36-hole tournament of the two 18-hole rounds is one on Monday and the second on Tuesday, with 44 players scheduled to compete. The awards presentation follows completion of Tuesday play.
Earlier this month at the ASC Championship preview meet, LETU finished in fifth place after shooting a two-day total of 739. Lauren Johnson was the highest YellowJacket finisher individually, claiming 13th while Bree Mask finished 19th and Rachael Green finished 24th. Melanie Pedigo also participated in the championship preview, finishing tied for 31st.
LeTourneau finished fifth at the 2017 ASC Championship for the second consecutive year. Senior Melanie Pedigo is the only YellowJacket to return to the championship event, while sophomores Megan Cufr and Lauren Johnson along with freshmen Bree Mask and Rachael Green make their ASC Conference Championship debut.
UT Tyler enters the Conference tournament as four-time defending champion. The Patriots outlasted Texas-Dallas a season ago and had beat out Mary Hardin-Baylor in each of the three championships before 2017. The 2018 ASC Championship will feature a new individual medalist as defending ASC individual medalist Morgan Loth from Texas-Tyler graduated following last year’s winner.
The winner of the tournament is the ASC champion and receives the automatic conference berth into the NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championship.
2018 American Southwest Conference Women’s Golf Championship
April 23-24
Austin, Texas | Avery Ranch Golf Club
Yards: 5,826 | Par: 72 | 36 holes (18-18)
Championship Teams
Concordia Texas
Hardin-Simmons
Howard Payne
LeTourneau
Mary Hardin-Baylor
UC Santa Cruz
UT Dallas
UT Tyler
SOFTBALL
ABILENE, Texas – Grabbing a 7-6 victory to start the day, the LeTourneau University softball team scored sixth runs in the top of the seventh inning of game two to come away with a 7-2 victory over Hardin-Simmons University to sweep a doubleheader at Ellis Field in Abilene, Texas on Saturday, April 21.
LETU has now won four straight games to improve to 16-20 overall and 11-16 in the American Southwest Conference while the Cowgirls conclude their 2018 campaign with a 1-37 overall record and 1-29 mark in the ASC.
Game One How It Happened:
It wouldn’t take long for either team to get on the scoreboard, with the YellowJackets using a Macey Mize two-out RBI single to take an early 1-0 lead.
HSU wasted no time claiming their first lead of the game, scoring four runs on four hits in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead and force a pitching change for the YellowJackets just six batters into the game.
The score would remain at 4-1 in favor of the Cowgirls until the top of the fourth when sophomore Taylor MacKenzie would drive home Ashlin Roach on an RBI single which would put runners on the corners with no outs, but a double play and fly out ended the inning with two runners stranded for LETU.
LeTourneau managed to reclaim the lead in the top of the fifth, collecting five hits and a walk after seeing two quick outs recorded which allowed for four runs to come home with MacKenzie hitting a two-RBI go-ahead single after senior Bailey Woodard tied the game on a two-RBI double.
Hardin-Simmons cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fifth, using a leadoff single and throwing error to bring home a run before leaving the game-tying run at third.
Each team then managed to score one run each in the sixth inning on RBI singles, before a scoreless seventh allowed the YellowJackets to squeak out the win.
Game One Key Performances:
MacKenzie made the most of getting a start at catcher, going two-for-four at the plate with three RBI with all three hits coming as singles.
Junior Macey Mize, along with Woodard each collected a double in the game, the only extra-base hits in the game for LeTourneau.
LETU took advantage of putting the ball in play, striking out twice in the game.
In the circle, senior Ashley Burdine came on in relief to pitch six and two-thirds innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out five of the 25 batters she faced.
Game Two How It Happened:
Runs would be harder to come by in the early stages of the series finale, with LeTourneau and Hardin-Simmons combining to strand six base runners through the first two innings of play.
The YellowJackets would finally find their way on the scoreboard after a leadoff single by Kelsi Coleman in the top of the third would be brought home on a passed ball to make the score 1-0.
A second missed an opportunity for LETU saw three base runners stranded in an inning for the second time in the game, which allowed HSU to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth after an RBI double would be followed up by an RBI single to right field.
Stout pitching by both squads continued until the top of the seventh when LETU would break out for six runs on five hits and one Cowgirl error to take the lead for good, with Roach, Woodard, and Shelby Barrick all collecting extra-base hits in the inning.
Game Two Key Stats:
Burdine threw the first 4.1 innings in the circle for LETU before making way for Julie Martinez who would pick up the win after tossing two and two-thirds innings of one-hit softball.
LeTourneau’s nine-hit output saw only Barrick produce more than one hit in the game, with eight of the ten players who recorded an at-bat managing to collect one single.
Stealing bases wouldn’t be an issue for the YellowJackets, going a perfect four-for-four in the game swiping bags.
What’s Next?
One final series in the regular-season remains for LeTourneau, with the YellowJackets playing host to nationally-ranked Texas-Tyler for a three-game series starting Friday 27 at 5:00 p.m. Following a Friday doubleheader, LeTourneau will honor their three seniors playing one final time at home before a 1:00 p.m. series finale with the Patriots on Saturday, April 28.
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
ABILENE, Texas – Adding on 11 top-10 finishes including the school’s first-ever track and field conference champion, the LeTourneau University men’s track and field team scored a total of 49 points. They claimed seventh place at the American Southwest Conference Men’s Track and Field Championships at Wilford-Moore Stadium in Abilene, Texas on Saturday, April 21.
The 49 points saw LETU score 34 points on the final day of the championships to finish just nine points back of Hardin-Simmons University in sixth-place with 58 points. Texas-Tyler managed to win the team title with 173 points, besting host McMurry University who finished second with 167 points. East Texas Baptist (83 points), Belhaven University (76 points), and Sul Ross State (75 points) rounded out the top-five team scores.
LeTourneau’s first-ever track and field conference championship came from freshman Austin Parrish. He won the pole vault with a height of 4.75 meters while teammates Alex Hindman (4.60 meters), Cole Ironside (4.30 meters), and Arvin Hrushka (4.00 meters) finished fourth, fifth, and sixth to give LETU four top-10 finishers.
Lorien Nightingale gave the YellowJackets two more top-eight finishes with a fourth-place finish in the 1,500 meters (4:13.88) and a seventh-place finish in the 800 meters (2:05.11) while Michael Field took seventh in the 5,000 meters (16:49.63).
LeTourneau’s other top-eight finishes both came from the relay teams, with the 4×400 meter relay team of Nightingale, Hrushka, Nathan Glastetter, and Wesley Anderson taking seventh (3:45.50) while the 4×100 meter relay team of Nate Berlandier, Keishaun McMillian, Javaughn Dantzler, and Stanley Williamstook eighth (47.86). Hrushka (1.73 meters) and Dantzler (1.68 meters) went on to take ninth and 11th, respectively, in the high jump while teammate Michael Brooks finished 10th (1.73 meters).
Just missing out on a top-10 finish was Derek Byler in the discus (11th, 33.10 meters) and Glastetter in the 1,500 meters (12th, 4:28.45) along with Adrik Kling in the discus (15th, 31.27 meters) and Judson Iverson in the shot put (15th, 10.24 meters).
Other YellowJacket results from Saturday include Anderson in the 800 (2:12.85) and 1,500 (4:36.08) meters, along with Glastetter in the 800 meters (2:11.41) and McMillian in the shot put (9.67 meters). Daniel Bucher also competed for LeTourneau, finishing with a time of 2:11.81 in the 800 meters.
LeTourneau will now turn their focus towards a few last meets to improve individual marks enough to qualify for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships, starting on Wednesday, April 25th in Abilene, Texas as the Abilene Christian University Twilight Meet.
TRACK AND FIELD
ABILENE, Texas – LeTourneau University women’s track and field sophomore Alexis Segura became the first-ever all-conference honoree for the YellowJacket track and field team while LETU finished sixth at the American Southwest Conference Track and Field Championships at Wilford-Moore Stadium in Abilene, Texas on Saturday, April 21.
As a team, LETU finished with 45 points, just behind East Texas Baptist University who finished fifth with 50 total points. McMurry University won the overall team championship with 265 points, followed by Hardin-Simmons (144 points) and Texas-Tyler (91 points) rounding out the top three.
Segura paced the YellowJackets with their top finish on Saturday by taking second in the 1,500 meters with a time of 5:07.16 and ninth in the 800 meters with a time of 2:39.30. Freshman Kennady Poling took third place in the pole vault after clearing 2.50 meters, while Kennedy Keer took fifth in both the 800 meters (2:33.88) and 1,500 meters (5:22.41).
Freshman Kirstiana Welch added her second top-eight finish of the weekend by taking eighth in the 5,000 meters (21:19.08) while the 4×100 meter relay team of Tori Field, Crystal Jones, Poling, and Ro Galloway took seventh with a time of 52.90. Running in a relay was also Keer, Poling, Claire Burson, and Lexi Funk in the 4×400-meter relay. They finished sixth with a time of 4:36.62.
Other results for LeTourneau from Saturday saw Galloway take seventh in the 100 meters (12.81) and Funk place eighth in the 400-meter hurdles (1:26.73). Rebekah Stevenson took 12th in the discus throw (27.27 meters), and Bridey Davis took 13th in the 5,000 meters (24:08.31) to finish out the YellowJacket results.
LETU will next be in action with a limited group going back to Abilene, Texas on Wednesday, April 25 at the Abilene Christian University Twilight Meet.
BASEBALL
PINEVILLE, La. – After seeing Louisiana College claim a 4-2, seven-inning win in game one of a Saturday doubleheader, the LeTourneau University baseball team scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning of game two. That force extra-innings before taking a 9-8, 11-inning win at Billy Allgood Field in Pineville, Louisiana on Saturday, April 21.
The twin bill split gives LETU a 20-15 overall record and a 12-9 record in the American Southwest Conference while the Wildcats now hold an 18-13 overall record and a 7-13 record in the ASC.
Game One How It Happened:
Not much offense would be had by either team, with only one inning featuring more than one run scored total.
After the YellowJackets took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Carson Dickey infield single, Louisiana College would respond with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third to tie things at 1-1.
The bottom of the fourth is where the difference in the game proved to be had, with the Wildcats sending five straight batters to the plate without an out recorded which would lead to three runs on three hits.
LeTourneau would respond with one run in the top of the sixth, using a one-out RBI double from Dickey to cut the deficit to 4-2.
One final chance would be seen for LETU in the top of the seventh, as Lee Hosie would hit a one-out-triple before Gonzalo Sosa drew a walk to put the game-tying run on first. Following a pitching change by LC, however, a foul out and strikeout ended the game with the YellowJackets stranding both runners.
Game One Key Stats:
LETU stranded eight base runners, including five in the final three innings of play.
Only four YellowJackets collected hits in the game, with Jacob Jones and Dickey each hitting two while Will Bradshaw and Hosie each had one.
Louisiana College did not fare much better at the plate but was able to take advantage of runners in scoring position and five walks while limiting their strikeouts to just two to force a game-three series rubber match.
Junior Andrew Harlan took the loss on the mound, throwing three and one third-innings while allowing four runs before Kolton Eberlan came on in relief to pitch 2.2 shutout innings.
Game Two How It Happened:
LeTourneau would be held to just a single hit through the first three innings of play while seeing LC score one run in the bottom of the first and tack on a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to take a 3-0 lead.
The LETU offense finally got on the scoreboard in the series finale in the top of the fourth, using a Bubba Valdez RBI single and Brandon Ramirez RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2 in favor of Louisiana College.
Despite the two-run fourth for the YellowJackets, the Wildcats managed to match two-run output by scoring runs on a sacrifice fly and throwing an error on a stolen base attempt to reclaim their three-run lead at 5-2.
LC’s three-run lead again got dwindled down to just a single run in the top of the sixth. That was when LETU scored a pair of runs thanks in part to two errors by Louisiana College, but the Wildcats were able to match the LETU offensive output by putting up two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.
Needing three runs in the top of the ninth to stay in the game, LeTourneau would use a Noah Mahoney leadoff walk and three straight hits followed by a fielder’s choice to score two runs and added a game-tying third run on a passed ball to make the score 7-7.
The YellowJackets managed to work around a leadoff walk for LC in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra-innings.
After LETU stranded a runner in the top of the 10th, Louisiana College would load the bases and put the game-winning run 90 feet away with two outs before seeing a foul out ending the threat and force the 11th inning.
LeTourneau finally managed to strike first in the extra-frame by getting a Dickey two-RBI single before holding the Wildcats to just a single run in the bottom of the inning to come away with the come-from-behind victory.
Game Two Key Stats
After being limited early on, LETU finished the game with 12 hits in the game which included three-hit performances from Sosa and Ramirez.
In addition to his three RBI performance at the plate, Valdez earned the pitching win on the mound after throwing two hitless innings and issuing just one walk.
Bradshaw also made a move from his defensive position to come on and pitch, earning his third save of the year by allowing one run in his one inning of work in the 11th.
As a team, LeTourneau managed to strike out nine Wildcat batters. The pitching staff allowed two earned runs out of eight.
What’s Next?
The final home weekend of the year for LeTourneau will get underway on Friday, April 27 when the YellowJackets host Texas-Tyler for a single, nine-inning game at 7:00 p.m.
MEN’S TENNIS
LONGVIEW, Texas – Playing in their final home match of the season, the LeTourneau University men’s tennis team cruised to a 9-0 victory over Louisiana College to clinch a berth in the 2018 American Southwest Conference Men’s Tennis Tournament at the Davis Tennis Courts in Longview, Texas on Friday, April 20.
LETU improves to 4-13 overall and 1-4 in the ASC with the victory while the Wildcats fell to 0-10 overall and 0-4 in conference play.
How It Happened:
The YellowJackets got off to a quick start, earning 8-0 victories in all three doubles matches. Christian Farris and Jimmie Henson earned the victory at number one doubles while Robby Bundy and Zac Crowley-Kurth picked up the win at number two doubles. Collin Patterson and Nash Best closed out the doubles sweep by earning the shutout win at number three doubles.
LeTourneau wasted no time clinching the match victory, with Farris and Henson making quick work of their opponents with 6-0, 6-0 wins at number one and two singles to put LETU up 5-0 heading into the final four matches of the afternoon.
All four of the rest of the YellowJacket matches would go nearly identical to those played before them, with Bundy, Crowley-Kurth and Cameron Wall all winning their respective games 6-0, 6-0. Patterson added a 6-0, 6-1 victory to close out the full match sweep.
What’s Next?
LeTourneau will have nearly two weeks off in preparation for the ASC Tournament, where they will be the number four seeded team out of the east division. LETU will take on the winner of the west division, which will also serve as host of the tournament on Thursday, May 3, with an opponent, location, and time of the match to be finalized after this weekend’s action concludes.
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
ABILENE, Texas – Scoring 15 points to position themselves in sixth place overall, the LeTourneau University men’s track and field team earned 11 top-10 finishes on day one of the American Southwest Conference Track and Field Championships at Wilford-Moore Stadium on the campus of McMurry University in Abilene, Texas on Friday, April 20.
LeTourneau’s 15 points put the YellowJackets ahead of Concordia Texas (14 points), Hardin-Simmons and Sul Ross State (11 points) and Louisiana College (6 points). Texas-Tyler (70 points) leads the 10-team race after doubling up host McMurry University (35 points) while Belhaven (32 points), University of the Ozarks (20 points), and East Texas Baptist (19 points) round out the top-five.
A new school-record by freshman Javaughn Dantzler in the long jump (7.02 meters) would be good enough for a third-place finish while also finishing fifth in the triple jump with a mark of 13.28 meters. Senior Steven McDonell posted a seventh-place finish in the hammer throw (37.02 meters) and a 12th-place finish in the javelin (38.57 meters) while Michael Field took seventh in the 10,000 meters. Derek Byler posted a trio of ninth-place finishes, posting marks of 40.19 meters, 34.60 meters in the hammer throw, and 16.58 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles.
Keishaun McMillian placed a team-best eighth in the javelin with a mark of 42.44 meters before going on to 10th in the triple jump (12.81 meters). Judson Iverson (31.71 meters) and Michael Brooks(39.40 meters) each posted a 10th-place finish in the hammer throw and javelin, and Nate Berlandier took 11th in the triple jump (12.48 meters). Stanley Williams was one of the busiest YellowJackets on Friday, posting marks of 6.50 meters in the long jump, 11.97 meters in the triple jump, 11.19 seconds in the 100 meters, and 23.01 seconds in the 200 meters.
Other marks by LETU athletes include Collin Olson with times of 12.58 in the 100 meters and 25.96 in the 200 meters while Daniel Shen posted times of 18.59 in the 110-meter hurdles and 1:04.69 in the 400-meter hurdles. Arvin Hrushka (110 hurdles, 17.61, 400 hurdles, 1:02.77) and Adrik Kling (hammer throw, 29.67 meters, javelin, 32.53 meters) both competed in two events on the day, while Alex Hindman also competed in the javelin (35.38 meters). Dantzler (100 meters, 11.47) and Berlandier (11.89) both added the 100 meters as another event they competed in on Friday, posting new personal records.
Tomorrow will feature numerous events that LETU will look to score points in, including the pole vault where the YellowJackets have the number one and three-ranked athletes in the ASC competing. The action will get underway at 9:00 a.m. with the 5,000 meters and high jump.
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
ABILENE, Texas – Seeing most of their athletes in action to begin the American Southwest Conference Championships, the LeTourneau University women’s track and field team posted five top-10 finishes and saw two athletes advance to tomorrow’s finals in their respective events at Wilford-Moore Stadium in Abilene, Texas on Friday, April 20.
Overall, LETU is in fifth place after six completed events with 14 points. Host McMurry University has raced out to a big lead with 94 points followed by Texas-Tyler (42 points), Hardin-Simmons (25 points) and Concordia Texas (16 points). The YellowJackets currently hold a slim lead over Belhaven (13 points) and Louisiana College and the University of the Ozarks (12 points each).
LETU’s top finish came from sophomore Alexis Segura who finished second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 12:31.86. Freshman Kirstiana Welch got LeTourneau officially underway on Friday morning with a sixth-place finish in the 10,000 meters (44:41.57) while Rebekah Stevenson took eighth in the javelin (27.98 meters).
Also competing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase was Allison Fuller, finishing seventh with a time of 15:28.16 while Bridey Davis gave LETU two top-10 finishes in the 10,000 meters after taking ninth with a time of 51:43.02. Stevenson posted her second top-10 of the day with a 10th-place finish in the hammer throw (30.97 meters), and will compete in the discus tomorrow morning.
Qualifying for tomorrow’s finals was Lexi Funk in the 400 hurdles (1:13.57) and Ro Galloway in the 100 meters (12.88), finishing fifth and seventh in qualifying of their respective events.
Just missing out on top-10 marks was Alicia Griscom in the hammer throw (11th, 27.00 meters) and Crystal Jones in the long jump (12th, 4.94 meters) while Melanie Shempert finished 12th in the javelin (24.21 meters) and 100-meter hurdles prelims (18.92). Galloway took 12th in the prelims of the 200 meters (27.06) while Jones finished 13th in the 100 meters preliminaries (13.17), along with Funk in the 100-meter hurdles (19.00).
Other marks recorded by LETU on their first-ever day of competition in the ASC Championships included Lexi Funk in the javelin (22.50 meters), Carrye Funk in both the hammer throw (19.56 meters) and javelin (20.94 meters), and Riley Blok in the javelin (16.75 meters).
Tomorrow will feature 15 more opportunities for LeTourneau to score points and improve their place in the team standings, starting at 9 a.m. with the 5,000-meter run.
BASEBALL
PINEVILLE, La. – A total of four home runs by four different players including a three-run shot by junior Jacob Jones scored six of the seven runs scored for the LeTourneau University baseball team in a 7-5 series-opening victory over Lousiana College at Billy Allgood Field in Pineville, Louisiana on Friday, April 20.
With the win, LETU is now 19-14 overall and 11-8 in the American Southwest Conference while the Wildcats slipped to 17-12 overall and 6-12 in the ASC.
How It Happened:
It wouldn’t take long for the YellowJackets to get on the board, with senior Gonzalo Sosa smashing a home run to right field in the top of the first inning to get LeTourneau out to a 1-0 lead.
LC would add an unearned run in the bottom of the first to even the score at 1-1, and then take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second with a solo home run.
LETU responded with a four-run third inning with three of the four runs coming on a two-out round-tripper by Jones, bringing home Lee Hosie and Will Bradshaw to give the YellowJackets a 5-2 lead.
A two-run home run by Louisiana College in the bottom of the fourth closed the once three-run lead down to one for LeTourneau before back-to-back singles, and a sacrifice fly tied the game at 5-5 heading to the fifth.
Very little time would be wasted by the YellowJackets to reclaim the lead once again, with Bradshaw and Bubba Valdez hitting back-to-back blasts over the right-field fence to allow LETU to retake the lead before things would finally settle down.
LeTourneau managed to allow just three base runners in the final four innings of play, never genuinely allowing Louisiana College to find a way back into the game as the YellowJackets wouldn’t need any more offense to pull out the win.
Key Performances:
Five of LETU’s nine hits in the game went for extra-bases, with just four base runners total that wound up stranded.
At the plate would be feast or famine for LETU, with seven strikeouts in the game nearly matching the nine-hit output by the YellowJackets.
Bradshaw kept his recent strong hitting going by finishing three-for-four at the plate with two RBI while Jones had a game-high three RBI in the game.
Outside of a two home run performance from right fielder Deauton Delgado, Louisiana College managed to collect just six hits from the other eight spots in the lineup while striking out a total of seven times.
What’s Next?
A Saturday twin bill between the Wildcats and YellowJackets is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. on Saturday in Pineville to close out the three-game set. Game one is for seven innings followed by a nine-inning game.
SOFTBALL
ABILENE, Texas – Seeing their three senior players step up in significant ways, the LeTourneau University softball team used a four-run third inning coupled with nine runs scored in the final three innings of play to come away with a 13-7 win over Hardin-Simmons University at Ellis Field in Abilene, Texas on Friday, April 20.
The win gives LETU a 13-20 overall record and 9-16 mark in the American Southwest Conference while the Cowgirls fell to 1-35 overall and 1-27 in the ASC.
How It Happened:
HSU would jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning after retiring the YellowJackets in order and taking advantage of a walk and back-to-back singles in the bottom of the first.
The score would remain a 2-0 deficit for LeTourneau until the top of the third when LETU would put their first three runners of the inning on base safely. Following back-to-back outs, the YellowJackets then used an infield single and bases-clearing double by senior Bailey Woodard to snag their first lead of the game and added a fourth-run on a throwing error by the Cowgirls.
LETU added two more runs in the fifth inning, with Woodard again clearing the bases with a two-run home run to left field that would score Ashlin Roach and make the score 6-2 in favor of the YellowJackets.
Another two runs for LeTourneau managed to come across in the top of the sixth thanks in part to a Macey Mize RBI double before LETU added five runs on five hits and an error to take a commanding 13-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh.
Hardin-Simmons would attempt to make things interesting in their last chance at bat, scoring four runs on five straight hits to start the inning, but saw a game-ending double play end the threat and secure the win for LETU.
Key Performances:
LeTourneau took advantage of four extra-base hits, part of their 13-hit effort which included eight free passes.
The YellowJackets also managed to limit their strikeouts to just four in the game, while allowing only two extra-base hits to Hardin-Simmons.
Woodard finished the game two-for-five with five RBI, as no LETU player had more than two hits in the game.
Despite scoring the 13 runs, LETU wound up stranding a total of 11 base runners in the game while HSU stranded nine.
What’s Next?
Tomorrow’s schedule currently calls for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader tomorrow to close out the series but could be altered due to the current weather forecast calling for rain tomorrow morning in the Abilene area. They will make a final decision on game times in the morning.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
LONGVIEW, Texas – Starting the match with a 2-0 lead due to visiting Louisiana College being unable to field a complete team, the LeTourneau University women’s tennis team left no doubt of who the better. They dismantled the Wildcats by a final score of 9-0 at the Davis Tennis Courts in Longview, Texas on Friday, April 20.
The victory gives LETU an 8-9 overall record this season and a 3-2 clip in the American Southwest Conference while the Wildcats now sit at 0-12 overall and 0-4 in the ASC.
How It Happened:
There were only two doubles matches played due to LC carrying a team of just five players. Maddison Brackenreg and Terin Murray earned an 8-0 win at number one doubles while Gracie Favela and Katy Hall earned the other victory with an 8-0 win at number two doubles.
The number six singles match would also be defaulted to LeTourneau due to the shortened roster for the Wildcats, leaving LeTourneau needing a single match victory in singles to win the game. LETU’s match-clinching the victory would come from Brackenreg at number one singles with a 6-0, 6-0 victory.
Also earning 6-0, 6-0 victories in singles action would be Gracie Favela at number three singles, as well as Katy Hall at number four singles and Samantha Trevino at number five singles. Murray would battle to a 6-3, 6-1 victory to close out the sweep for the YellowJackets at number two singles.
What’s Next?
The 2018 American Southwest Conference Tournament awaits LeTourneau, which will start on Thursday, April 26 in Tyler, Texas. LETU will be the number three seed in the ASC East Division and square off against the number two seed out of the west, which is likely to be McMurry University. The YellowJackets and War Hawks met in the season opener, with LETU winning a 6-3 decision in Longview.
TRACK AND FIELD
LONGVIEW, Texas – As a historical, and record-setting year, gets ready to come to a close for the LeTourneau University track and field teams. Both the YellowJacket men and women will get a chance to compete against nine other American Southwest Conference schools by taking part in the 2018 ASC Track and Field Championships. It is hosted this Friday and Saturday at Wilford Moore Stadium in Abilene, Texas on the campus of McMurry University.
Overall, this will be the 22nd time that the American Southwest Conference has hosted the championship meet, with LETU looking make their history after spending all season up to this point laying the foundation with hopes of what is to come for the program.
On the men’s side, the YellowJackets have 20 marks that currently rank in the top-10 of ASC athletes in various events, with 18 being put on the line this weekend during the meet. LeTourneau is led by four top-10 athletes in the pole vault, with freshmen Austin Parrish (first, 4.90 meters) and Alex Hindman (third, 4.75 meters) while Cole Ironside (fifth, 4.25 meters) and Arvin Hrushka (sixth, 3.87 meters) also looking to score points in the event. The marks by Parrish and Hindman both currently rank in the top-15 among all athletes in NCAA Division III event.
Hrushka also ranks 10th in the high jump with a mark of 1.78 meters while Javaughn Dantzler ranks ninth in the long jump (6.57 meters) and fourth in the triple jump (13.35 meters). Also with top-10 marks in the triple jump is Nate Berlandier (sixth, 12.92 meters) and Keishaun McMillian (seventh, 12.92 meters) while a trio of YellowJackets (Steven McDonell, sixth, Judson Iverson, ninth, and Derek Byler, 10th) all have top marks in the hammer throw. More points could be in the javelin event for LETU, with Hindman (sixth), McDonell (ninth) and McMillian (10th) all performing better and better each week.
On the track, LETU will look for Lorien Nightingale in the 1,500 meters (eighth, 4:15.70) and Michael Field in the 5,000 meters (sixth, 16:38.92) to score points. Add to that the 4×800 meter relay team of Nightingale, Nathan Glastetter, Hrushka, and Daniel Bucher who currently have the top time in the ASC (8:43.32).
The LeTourneau women also have high-hopes heading into their first ASC Championship meet, with 18 marks currently ranking in the top-10 in the conference. Freshman Ro Galloway leads the way in the track events, ranking fifth in the 100 meters (12.86) and 10th in the 200 meters (27.30). Senior Kennedy Keerranks is 10th in the 400 meters (1:04.57), seventh in the 1,500 meters (5:18.17) and ninth in the 800 meters (2:31.70). Ahead of Keer in the 800 meters is Alexis Segura. Alexis currently has the seventh-best time of 2:30.05 while also scoring the best time in the ASC in the 1,500 meters (4:57.63) along with the second-best time in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (12:36.60) and third-best time in the 5,000 meters (20:52.62).
Also with top-10 times on the track is a freshman, Kirstiana Welch, with the 10th-best 1,500-meter time of 5:28.63 and ninth-best 5,000-meter time of 20:52.62 while Lexi Funk ranks sixth in the 400-meter hurdles (1:12.94) and 10th in the 100-meter hurdles (19.08). Tori Field will look to score points both on the track and in the field events, ranking seventh in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.78 while ranking sixth in the triple jump (9.91 meters). Crystal Jones will enter this weekend’s meet with the fifth-best long jump mark in the conference this year with a score of 5.22 meters while sophomore Rebekah Stevenson is ninth in the javelin (27.57 meters) and 10th in the hammer throw (31.20 meters).
LeTourneau will look to contend with this year’s host McMurry University, which won both the men’s and women’s team titles last season with the War Hawks combining to win 25 ASC Championship team titles overall (14 men’s titles, 11 women’s claims).
Results from each event as well as photos from each day’s action are on the championship website set up by host McMurry University, which is linked above.
Matt Kinney
Sports Information Director