HUNTSVILLE — Defending champion Sam Houston secured a spot in the 2021 Southland Conference Tournament with a doubleheader sweep of Incarnate Word on Friday at the Bearkat Softball Complex.
Senior
Brooke Malia and freshman
Emily Telg each homered in a 4-0 victory in game one, and freshman
Taylor Bachmeyer tossed her first career no-hitter in a 4-0 win in game two.
The two teams will wrap up the regular season Saturday with a single game at 7:30 p.m. The Bearkats' seniors will be honored before the contest.
Game 1
Sam Houston 4, UIW 0
Senior
Brooke Malia hit a solo, opposite-field home run in the fourth inning, and freshman
Ellie Grill ripped an RBI double as the Bearkats built a 2-0 lead in game one.
Freshman
Emily Telg capped the scoring with a two-run home run to left field in the fifth for Sam Houston, which clinched a spot in the SLC tournament.
Sophomore
Regan Dunn was effective in the circle, tossing seven shutout innings. She finished with eight strikeouts and only allowed four hits to improve to 7-11 on the season.
Ashley Trapp (6-8) took the loss for the Cardinals as she walked five batters and only gave up three hits.
Game 2
Sam Houston 4, UIW 0
Freshman
Taylor Bachmeyer tossed a gem in the circle as Sam Houston improved to 17-29 overall and 13-13 in SLC play with a 4-0 victory in game two of Friday's doubleheader.
Bachmeyer (2-5) walked four batters and allowed another to reach on her fielding error, but she finished with four strikeouts behind a solid defensive effort by the Bearkats.
Sam Houston jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning when senior
Brooklyn Devine got the scoring going with an RBI single to third base with the bases loaded. Bachmeyer helped her own cause with an RBI single through the left side, and senior
Megan McDonald laced a hit into center field for another run.
Telg launched her second home run of the day to left-center field in the fourth inning for the final run.
Annie Gunther took the loss in the circle for the Cardinals, giving up three runs on six hits to fall to 7-10 on the season.