
Photo by: Austin Hunter
Kats walk off with first CUSA win
3/24/2024 3:13:00 PM | Softball
HUNSTVILLE — The wait is finally over. The ice has been broken.
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Tricia Yarotsky blasted a walk-off, three-run home run as Sam Houston finally got going at the plate to earn its first-ever win in Conference USA with an 8-5 victory over Liberty on Sunday at Bearkat Softball Complex.
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The Bearkats (12-19, 1-8 CUSA) ended a six-game losing skid with the win and avoided a series sweep at the hands of the Flames (17-14, 7-2).
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Liberty came from behind to take a 5-4 lead, but Sam Houston tied it in the bottom of the seventh on an Ellie Grill double and a pair of Liberty miscues.
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The Kats finally put an end to the game in the bottom of the seventh. Grill singled up the middle and Elia Hebel drew a walk to bring Yarotsky to the plate. One swing and Yarotsky was the hero on Sunday.
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Sam Houston broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second when Julia Herzinger opened the frame with a double to left center field. Liberty looked like it would escape unscathed, but Allie Saville made the Flames play with an RBI single to make it 1-0.
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Liberty was able to tie the game in the third thanks to a pair of singles and error.
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It did not take long for the Bearkats to answer when Kinsey Hobbs ripped a double down the right field line to begin the bottom of the third. With two outs, Sam Houston came through again with an RBI single by Hebel.
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Haleigh Carter and Saville both got Sam Houston cooking at the plate again in the fourth with back-to-back singles. A fielder's choice and a throwing error pushed the lead to 3-1, and Ellie Grill drove in a run with a groundout for another.
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The Flames scratched across a run in the fifth then got a three-run home run with two outs and two strikes in the seventh take the lead.
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The Bearkats were not going to be denied. Ellie Grill led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and came across to score on two passed balls by the catcher to tie it at 5.
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Hebel followed with a single and moved into scoring position on another mistake by Liberty, a wild pitch. Tricia Yarotsky put runners at the corner with a single, and Herzinger walked on four straight pitches to load the bases.
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The Flames got a double play and a ground out to squash Sam Houston's rally, at least until the ninth inning.
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Tricia Yarotsky blasted a walk-off, three-run home run as Sam Houston finally got going at the plate to earn its first-ever win in Conference USA with an 8-5 victory over Liberty on Sunday at Bearkat Softball Complex.
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The Bearkats (12-19, 1-8 CUSA) ended a six-game losing skid with the win and avoided a series sweep at the hands of the Flames (17-14, 7-2).
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Liberty came from behind to take a 5-4 lead, but Sam Houston tied it in the bottom of the seventh on an Ellie Grill double and a pair of Liberty miscues.
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The Kats finally put an end to the game in the bottom of the seventh. Grill singled up the middle and Elia Hebel drew a walk to bring Yarotsky to the plate. One swing and Yarotsky was the hero on Sunday.
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Sam Houston broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second when Julia Herzinger opened the frame with a double to left center field. Liberty looked like it would escape unscathed, but Allie Saville made the Flames play with an RBI single to make it 1-0.
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Liberty was able to tie the game in the third thanks to a pair of singles and error.
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It did not take long for the Bearkats to answer when Kinsey Hobbs ripped a double down the right field line to begin the bottom of the third. With two outs, Sam Houston came through again with an RBI single by Hebel.
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Haleigh Carter and Saville both got Sam Houston cooking at the plate again in the fourth with back-to-back singles. A fielder's choice and a throwing error pushed the lead to 3-1, and Ellie Grill drove in a run with a groundout for another.
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The Flames scratched across a run in the fifth then got a three-run home run with two outs and two strikes in the seventh take the lead.
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The Bearkats were not going to be denied. Ellie Grill led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and came across to score on two passed balls by the catcher to tie it at 5.
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Hebel followed with a single and moved into scoring position on another mistake by Liberty, a wild pitch. Tricia Yarotsky put runners at the corner with a single, and Herzinger walked on four straight pitches to load the bases.
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The Flames got a double play and a ground out to squash Sam Houston's rally, at least until the ninth inning.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Abke, Amy (5-4)
L: BACHMAN, Paige (2-3)
Batting:
2B: JESSEE, Savannah 1
HR: FORTNER, Megan 1
RBI: JESSEE, Savannah 1 ; FORTNER, Megan 3
SH: WILSON, Mary Claire 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ROUPE, Rachel 1 ; DETER, Hailey 1 ; NORRIS, Aubry 1 ; BYRUM, JaMaya 1 ; FORTNER, Megan 1
SB: MADREY, KK 2

Batting:
2B: Grill, Ellie 1 ; Herzinger, Julia 1 ; Hobbs, Kinsey 1
HR: Yarotsky, Tricia 1
RBI: Grill, Ellie 1 ; Hebel, Elia 1 ; Yarotsky, Tricia 3 ; Saville, Allie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Grill, Ellie 2 ; Hebel, Elia 1 ; Yarotsky, Tricia 1 ; Herzinger, Julia 1 ; Carter, Haleigh 1 ; Saville, Allie 1 ; Hobbs, Kinsey 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
SB: Garrett Valis Preseason Press Conference
Monday, February 02
SB: Highlights vs FIU
Monday, April 07
Softball: Highlights vs UTSA
Sunday, February 23
Tarleton vs Sam Houston Softball
Wednesday, April 28

























































