HUNTSVILLE — Sam Houston could not scratch a run across in extra innings in the nightcap of a doubleheader to earn a split with Louisiana Tech in the final Conference USA series of the regular season on Saturday at Bearkat Softball Complex.
Bella Perez hit a three-run home run to lift the Kats (26-26, 13-13) to a 3-1 victory in game one on Sunday to back a strong performance in the circle by
Abigail Young. Louisiana Tech rallied to score in the top of the eighth in game two to escape with a 5-4 win.
The two teams will meet in the regular season finale with the chance to win the series on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. The game is set to be streamed on ESPN+.
SHSU 3, LA Tech 1
Sam Houston totaled 10 hits but one swing of the bat by Perez made the difference as the Bearkats came from behind to knock off the Bulldogs 3-1 in game one which was moved to Saturday due to inclement weather on Friday.
Down 1-0 after LA Tech was able to sneak a run across in the top of the fifth,
Elia Hebel and
Jenny Robison both ripped a pair of one-out singles in the bottom of the frame. Perez then launched a rocket off the bottom of the scoreboard in left center for what would prove to be the game winner.
Young, meanwhile, was rolling in the circle. She gave up only four hits and struck out six to earn the win to improve to 8-6 on the season.
LA Tech 5, SHSU 4 (8 inn.)
Sam Houston bounced back from a pair of deficits but could not find a way to do it a third time as Louisiana Tech evened the series with a win in extra innings.
The Kats were down 2-0 heading into the third when
Kinsey Hobbs singled and scored on a two-run blast by Hebel. Robison followed with a double to left and was able to come home when Karriauhn Deas laced a double of her own into the left-center gap to put Sam Houston up 3-2.
The Bulldogs scored two more in the fifth only to see the Kats battle back once again.
Haleigh Carter got this rally going with a lead-off double, and she advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Allie Saville tied the game at 4 with an RBI double only to see LA Tech push across the game-winning run in the eighth.
