Costly errors in Monday’s final inning saw the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff drop its third-straight softball series.
UAPB dropped both games of a SWAC doubleheader to Texas Southern, 3-2 and 9-2, at the Torii Hunter Softball Complex in Pine Bluff.
UAPB (18-21, 7-9 SWAC) coach Michael Bumpers said he didn’t see enough enthusiasm from the Lady Lions.
“I don’t know what took place today, just, we didn’t play our brand of softball today,” Bumpers said. “Kinda did all the way up until the top of that seventh inning, and things kind of fell apart.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The second game was tied at 2 entering the seventh inning. TSU right fielder Pam Richardson singled with one out, then catcher Karisma Garcia reached on a dropped fly ball in right field by Ariana Gonzalez. UAPB pitcher Danika Bryant (2-7) got a ground ball for the second out to bring up substitute Lanay Carr.
Carr hit a ground ball to UAPB third baseman Amari Broughton which should have ended the inning, but she misfired on her throw to first, allowing both runs to score and give Texas Southern (16-16, 10-7) the lead.
Left fielder Deana Zuniga then reached on an errant throw by catcher Kaitlyn Neely. Shortstop Marissa Perla followed with a 2-RBI double to make it 6-2, after which Bryant left the game for reliever Traelen Humphrey. Bryant allowed 2 earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. She gave up 11 hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
TSU went on to finish the inning having scored 7 unearned runs on five hits and three errors to not only take the lead but put the game beyond reach. Pitcher Madalynn Gonzalez (6-2) worked around a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh to finish the game. She allowed 2 runs in seven innings on four hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
Bumpers said one error led to another in the seventh.
“You can’t continue to make errors like that in critical times,” Bumpers said. “Big-time players make big-time plays. They did what they were supposed to do, and they capitalized on every mistake we made. That’s the way softball is.”
UAPB designated player Shalin Charles hit 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and a run. She hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. TSU centerfielder Paris Johnson hit 3 for 4 with an inside the park home run. Richardson hit 4 for 5 with a run and RBI.
In the first game, TSU pitcher Maren Berger (6-4) held the Lady Lions scoreless for six innings while stranding three runners.
In the bottom of the sixth, UAPB second baseman Tyrah Elerby reached on a leadoff error by TSU second baseman Marissa Matinez. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Jazlyn Gomez, then Broughton hit a fly ball to right field.
Richardson caught the ball, then threw Elerby out as she attempted to tag up and advance to third base to end the inning.
Meanwhile, TSU slowly built a lead. Catcher Karisma Garcia hit RBI singles in the third and seventh innings, scoring Johnson in the third and third baseman Ja’Lynn Swiney in the seventh. In the fifth, Johnson reached on a one-out error by UAPB pitcher Kayla Adams, then later scored on an error by Broughton.
Adams (11-7) struck out 10 hitters while allowing four hits and three walks. She retired TSU in order three times.
UAPB finally scored in the bottom of the seventh inning. Neely and Charles led off with hits to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Berger induced three-straight ground balls. The runners scored on the first two groundouts by leftfielder Lauryn Adams and first baseman Samaria Jackson to cut the deficit to 3-2, but the third ended the game.
The Lady Lions have now lost three-straight SWAC series, which Bumpers attributed to a lack of hitting.
“We’re not being patient at the plate, and sometimes we’re being a little bit too patient at the plate,” Bumpers said. “If we’re not going after the first pitch, the pitch is right there, then we put ourselves in a hole swinging at something out of the strike zone. Now, we’re down 0-2 trying to fight our way back in.”
The two teams will play another doubleheader Tuesday. The first game will conclude UAPB’s home series, while the second will be the first make-up game from the three-game series in Houston which was postponed due to weather. The other two games will be made up in Houston after UAPB plays four games at Prairie View A&M this weekend.