Stephen F. Austin (0-3, 0-0) faced off against UNLV (3-0, 0-0) for a second time in the Bearkat Classic. Unlike the first matchup where UNLV ran away with the game, the Lumberjacks came out fighting and held the lead on multiple occasions before the game was called due to weather.
SFA got the scoring started in first inning and it all started when Madison Nguyen was walked on six pitches. Nguyen then stole second while Brittany Coe was in the batter’s box and advanced to third when the final pitch of Coe’s at-bat was thrown past the catcher. Lexi Benson stepped up to bat with runners on the corner and one out looking to do some damage. Benson ended up grounding out to second base but was able to score Nguyen from third and advance Coe to second. UNLV responded in the top of the second with a solo home run off starting pitcher, Alexis Telford. The ‘Jacks were able to walk the bases loaded in the second with Hope Lusk batting in place of Ellie Vance. Lusk reached first on a fielder’s choice as the Rebels decided to get the force out at third, but it allowed Arwin Callaway to score for a 2-1 lead for SFA. SFA held a slim one-run lead until the top of the fourth when UNLV scored two and took a 3-2 lead. The Rebels tacked on another run in the top of the fifth, 4-2. In the bottom of the fifth, Emily Land started the ‘Jacks comeback with a single up the middle. Nguyen followed up with a single to third base. Then, Benson recorded her second RBI of the day with a single to left center that scored Veronica Cully from third to cut the Rebels lead down to one, 4-3.
The game was halted in the top of the 6th with plans to resume the game Sunday morning and finish out the tournament schedule with a matchup against host, Sam Houston. However, come Sunday morning torrential downpours and hail made it logistically impossible to continue the match from Saturday and the remaining scheduled games were canceled for the Bearkat Classic.
The Lumberjacks will get their first chance to play in front of their home crowd on Tuesday, February 13th with a doubleheader against the Northwestern State beginning at 3:00 p.m.
By: Amanda Paver, SFA Assistant Director for Strategic Communications