ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University Softball posted two dominant wins to open its American Southwest Conference series against LeTourneau on Friday, clinching the series with 9-2 and 9-1 wins at Edwards Field.
The War Hawks have doubled their season win total this week, riding a four-game win streak. McMurry improves to 8-4 overall and 6-4 in conference play. LETU falls to 4-8 and 2-5, respectively.
McMurry did not trail in either contest.
Game 1: McMurry 9, LeTourneau 2
McMurry maintained a small lead most of the way, but wiped away all doubt with a five-run sixth inning to win 9-2 in the opener.
Junior pitcher Jenna Lewis posted her fourth complete game quality start win this season, going 7.0 full innings with just two runs allowed. She scattered four hits and one walk, while striking out nine in a win-worthy performance. Lewis tossed 103 pitches.
Meanwhile, the bats were working for McMurry as nine crossed on 11 hits. Sophomore Mercedes Camacho lifted the lid with an RBI double to the left center gap, making it 1-0 in the third inning. McMurry scored three more over three frames to earn four unanswered.
Angelica Abila, who had a day to remember at the plate, drove home a run with an RBI single in the third. She came back around in the fifth and hit her first career homer to make it 4-0. Brianna Martinez also added an RBI single in the fourth.
For the game, Abila finished with a career-high three hits and four RBI, while scoring two runs.
After LETU cut the lead in half with two runs, McMurry rattled off a huge inning to pull away. Kate Casey started things with an RBI single past the shortstop, scoring two runners, then Abila smashed a double to score two more. Grace Duecker singled home Abila for the final run.
Senior Kelsey Ahart and Camille Scott joined Abila with multi-hit games, adding two apiece. Martinez, Casey, Duecker and Camacho had one each.
Game 2: McMurry 9, LETU 1 (5 innings)
McMurry wasted no time in the nightcap, scoring six runs in the third inning and forcing the mercy rule with two more in the fifth for a 9-1 win.
Junior Kinleigh Stotts took care of business in the circle, improving to a 3-1 record with a complete game victory. She allowed just one run in 5.0 innings, giving up four hits and a walk while striking out four.
Emily Michki gave McMurry its first run with a sacrifice fly, scoring Abila after she reached on an error and moved over on a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch. From there, McMurry really busted the game open with six runs, knocking five consecutive singles to move runners around. Camacho, Abila, Duecker, Michki and Cayleigh England were the successful hitters in that rally, producing three more runs.
The 4-0 lead turned into 7-0 when Ahart pinched-hit for Jesse Stephenson. With runners on first and second, Ahart blasted one into left field for a three-run bomb.
In the top of the fifth, LETU scored its lone run to make it 7-1. McMurry would end it in the bottom half with a leadoff homer by former Abilene High standout Kayla Otis, followed by an RBI double by Abila to score the mercy rule run.
McMurry out-hit LETU by a 10-4 margin in the nightcap. Abila tacked on two more hits to finish her day 5-for-7 with a homer, two doubles, five RBI and four runs. Duecker and Camacho also had two-hit games in the nightcap.
On Deck
The War Hawks look to sweep the series tomorrow at noon.
