March 2, 2013

For Immediate Release

Williams Baptist Box | Central Baptist Box

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Box | LSU-Alexandria Box

Conway, Ark. – The Indiana Tech softball team traveled to Conway, Arkansas for the Central Baptist College Invitational over the weekend where the Warriors competed in four games, including two against top-15 ranked teams and one NCAA DI opponent.

Even though Tech lost in all four of their contests, the tough early season schedule is giving the youthful Warriors plenty of experience as they prepare for conference play.

Tech opened the trip against No. 14 Williams Baptist College. The Eagles scored six runs in the first inning and added two more in the second to open up an early 8-0 lead. The Warriors got a run back in their half of the second inning on a solo shot to center by Jessica Cotton, but Williams Baptist answered with two more in the fourth and two in the fifth on their way to a 12-2 win over the Warriors.

Kelsey Kline would add an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth plating Ashley Warn. Molly Collins also added a hit for the Warriors.

The Warriors faced an even tougher test when they met No. 6 Central Baptist in their second game of the night. After surrendering a pair of unearned runs in the first inning senior pitcher Sam Berrios settled in and held the Mustangs scoreless over the next three frames. However, the Tech offense couldn’t get anything going against CBC’s Shanice Murry who limited the Warriors to just one hit on the night.

Central Baptist broke the game open in the fifth inning though plating five runs on their way to an 8-1 victory.

Berrios came back with an even better effort on Saturday against NCAA DI University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, tossing 5.1 innings and allowing just one earned run on four hits while striking out seven batters.

The Warriors trailed 1-0 through four innings, but the Golden Lions would capitalize for five runs over the next two innings on a couple Tech miscues to jump ahead 6-0. A three-run homerun by Cotton in the bottom half of the sixth cut the deficit in half, but that’s as close as the Warriors would get falling 6-3.

Jenevie Rivas threw 1.1 innings of shutout relief, giving up two hits while fanning three.

Indiana Tech wrapped up the weekend with a thrilling game against LSU-Alexandria. The Warriors rallied back from a 6-3 deficit, scoring four runs over the final two innings to take a lead, but LSU-Alexandria scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with the 8-7 win.

After falling behind 3-0 in the first, Rivas blasted a two-run homer in the second to narrow the gap to one. The Warriors tied the game in the third when Sofia Johantgen came around to score on an error.

The Generals responded with three in the home half of the third, highlighted by a two-run shot by Mallory Waggoner, to retake the lead.

Tori Kilps and Taylor Craven combined to shut out LSU-Alexandria over the next three innings though, giving the Tech bats a chance to get back in the game, and they would in the sixth. JC Plezbert started the inning with a base hit and would later come around to score on a single by Rivas. Later in the inning, Collins delivered a clutch two out hit to drive in two runs and tie the game at 6-6.

The big hits kept coming for the Warriors as Sara Soares put the Warriors in front for the first time in the seventh inning with another two out hit scoring Plezbert.

LSU-Alexandria was down to their last out with the tying run on second base in the bottom half of seventh, and got another big hit from Waggoner to tie the game. Two batters later Waggoner would score the winning run on a wild pitch.

Johantgen finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and Rivas went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.

Up next, the Warriors will travel to Grace College on Mar. 14.

For more information on Indiana Tech athletics please call the Athletic Office at 260-422-5561 ext. 2492 or visit our website at http://www.indianatech.edu/athletics

- Go Warrior Pride -