University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Collins Saves the Win For Sam Houston, McNeese Rally Falls Short
2/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LAFAYETTE – Melissa Collins helped Sam Houston State avoid a total meltdown by pitching the final 2 1/3 innings of the game striking out four batters and working out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth inning as SHSU held on for a 6-4 victory over Southland Conference-rival McNeese State here Saturday in game eight of the 2nd Annual Louisiana's Mardi Gras Classic.
The BearKats jolted out to a 6-0 lead after 4 ˝ innings of play before a throwing error by shortstop Tanya Hooser attempting to throw out Tonya Edlund at third base led to four straight unearned runs by the Cowgirls and caused SHSU to loose the momentum it had gained from the six-run lead.
The throwing error by Hooser created a snowball effect and SHSU's staring pitcher Whitney Heath couldn't stop the Cowgirls offense. Following a popup by Nicole Edlund for what should have been the third out of the inning, MSU rattled off back-to-back base hits to chase Heath from the contest. An RBI-double by Brooke Brodhead scored two more runs and trimmed the BearKats lead to 6-3. Beth Jordan rocketed a shot through the right side of the infield to score Brodhead, closing the gap to 6-4 and chasing Heath.
Collins issued a walk to Jana Jones then ended the MSU threat by striking out Jenny Clay.
The BearKats went down in order in their half of the sixth, opening the door for a possible Cowgirls comeback. Collins made sure the door stayed shut.
MSU loaded the bases in its half of the sixth inning with only one out recorded. Shayla Cormier hit an infield single to shortstop to load the bases for MSU with one out. Collins induced a grounder to shortstop Hooser who promptly fired a strike to catcher Chrissy Dileo for the force out. Collins then fanned Brodhead for the final out as the Cowgirls left the bases loaded.
Collins made sure that her save attempt would stand as she retired the Cowgirls in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Stephanie Mosley and Amber McAvoy paced the SHSU attack with two RBI apiece. McAvoy along with Amanda Collier each homered in helping the BearKats break open a scoreless contest through two innings complete.
Collier's homer was a solo shot in the fourth inning that gave SHSU a 2-0 lead. McAvoy's bomb, a pinch-hit job, was a two-run home run down the left field line in the fifth inning that created a 6-0 cushion.
Both starting pitchers, Heath and McNeese's Jessica Denham, carried no-hit bids into the third inning. Denham's no-hit attempt was broken up with two outs in the third when SHSU's Sarah Sweaney beat out a ground ball to third base. She then stole second and was brought home on a RBI single by Mosley.
Heath's no-hit bid was ended in the fourth inning when Beth Jordan chopped a two-out single up the middle of the infield.
Brodhead led the Cowgirls with two RBI while Jordan and Tonya Edlund each had a team-best two base hits.
Denham surrendered six runs off of six hits between the third and fifth innings. However, she did hold the BearKats off the basepaths, allowing just one hit in the final two innings as the Cowgirls were attempting a rally.
Sam Houston State improved to 2-1 in tournament play with the win. The BearKats will be back in action to take on another Southland Conference rival, Northwestern State at 8:15 p.m.
McNeeese falls to 1-2 in tournament play and suffered its second straight defeat since a tournament-opening win over Prairie View Friday morning. The Cowgirls close out play on Saturday by taking on Northwestern State in a rematch of Friday's 4-2 NSU win.
LINE SCORE
---------
Sam Houston State 6, McNeese
State 4 (Feb 05, 2005 at Lafayette, La.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam Houston State... 001 140 0 - 6 6 1 (2-1)
McNeese State....... 000 040 0 - 4 7 1 (1-2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Sam Houston State - Heath; Collins(5). McNeese
State - Denham.
Win-Heath(1-0) Save-Collins(1) Loss-Denham(0-2) T-2:08 A-0
HR SHSU - McAvoy; Collier.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
