Sam Houston opened its 11th season at the Bearkat Softball Complex sweeping a doubleheader from Prairie View A&M by scores of 4-1 and 5-4 Friday evening.
The Kats had to battle from behind in the nightcap. Junior designated player Hannah Marino blasted a two-out double to right center to bring in three runs to earn the victory. Freshman Lindsey McLeod picked up her first collegiate pitching victory by striking out 10 Panthers in three-and-two-thirds innings in relief. After facing her first batter in the bottom of the fourth inning, she struck out eight consecutive players.
In the opening game, freshman shortstop Ashley Goetz led the Kats by going 3-for-3 at the plate. Senior Dani Allen accounted for two of the RBIs in the opener, going 2-for-3.
Prairie View A&M, now 0-6 for the year, stayed in contention in both games, battling back to go up 5-3 in the second game after a four-run fifth inning.
“I told the girls after the game that Prairie View used to be one of those teams that was getting run-ruled every other game,” Sam Houston head coach Bob Brock. “Their program has really improved and they battled us tonight. My hat is off to them.”
Senior Tiffany Castillo went 3-for-5 in the two games and recorded RBIs in both contests. Designated player Katie Doerre and first baseman Codi Carpenter each batted in a run in the opener.
“Both were two good team wins,” Brock said. “There were a lot of amazing plays. Samantha Belongia's big diving catch in center field, Lindsey McLeod's pitching performance in the second game and a big three-run double by a former Huntsville Hornet, Hannah Marino were just a few of them. We needed these two wins. We could use a little more hitting, but that will come.”
Taylor Atkinson was the winning pitcher as the Kats' starter in the first game, striking out three of the 22 batters she faced in five innings. Brooke Seneshen struck out three and did not give up a hit in two innings of relief work. Jordan Franks started the nightcap, facing 16 batters in three-and-a-third innings.
Sam Houston will play host to Baylor University in a single game Wednesday at the Bearkat Softball Complex. The game will start at 6 p.m.
