PLANO, Texas – The Dallas Christian College softball team fell in a pair of home games at John Paul II High School on Saturday to NAIA Sterling College. Makenzie Miller made school history by hitting the program's first home run in the first inning of game one. Miller would go on to clobber two in the first game and had three in the twinbill with another solo shot in game two.
Zyian Bender would also go yard in the second game with Miller, marking the first time DCC would have home runs by multiple players in the team's 15
th game of its inaugural year. It was also the first time that two home runs occurred in the same inning, as both came in the fourth.
The Crusaders would pile a season-high 11 runs thanks to seven runs in the third inning of game two, which was also a high-mark on the campaign for runs in a single-inning. However, DCC's lead would not be enough as the Warriors came back in the seventh to take a lead that would not be relinquished.
Game 1 (13-5, L) (F/5)
The Crusaders responded to a three-run deficit with a pair of runs in their first turn to bat. Miller belted the program's first home run and first for the team at its home field John Paul II to left center, which is just before the fence rises at dead center. It was a 2 ball, 2 strike pitch that the freshman catcher smacked out to get DCC on the board.
Summer Hasfurter would score the other run that frame. After a four pitch walk, the center fielder this game would steal second. The throw by the catcher went through the infielders covering, but once the ball got between legs of the outfielder, Hasfurter hustled all the way around to score.
Things unraveled for DCC in what would be a 10-run second for the Warriors. After consecutive errors, Sam Araiza punched a long ball over the left-center field 200 feet marker to double the advantage. All runs that inning were unearned.
Miller came up with a three-run homer that was more left-center and had just enough as it skipped over the top of the fence to give the Pflugerville, Texas, native a second home run and four total RBI.
The Crusaders held Sterling College the remainder of the game and outscored them 4-1 if all errors were removed from both sides. DCC was charged five errors, while the Warriors committed four.
The Crusaders did have runners at first and third in the fifth, but could not push the necessary run through to prevent a run-rule. DCC did make solid contact throughout the game, but were unable to get enough to fall and makeup the early difference.
Hitters 2 through 4 in the lineup were responsible for a quartet of the team's five hits. Hasfurter and
Zyian Bender hit two of them to go with Miller's pair of round-trippers.
Leighianne Dale added the other.
In the circle,
Katherine Hanks got the start and worked two innings, which included finishing off the fifth.
Trinity Johnson tossed three scoreless innings, as she worked around five hits and a pair of walks. Only one of the 13 runs was earned and went to Hanks.
Allie Olivarria got the win for the Warriors, with five runs, four earned, on five hits, two walks, and five strikeouts for her line.
Game 2 (15-11, L)
After falling behind four runs in the first inning, the Crusaders settled down and kept the opposition off the board until the fifth. Meanwhile, the home team would erupt for seven runs in the third inning to go on top for the first time in the series.
This time it was DCC that benefitted from an error that helped lead to several unearned runs eventually. With two outs, Miller singled through the left side to score Johnson. Hasfurter singled up the middle to plate Dale, who had been the player to hit a ball that went through the third baseman's legs for the costly error. Kacie McDowell got a double to left field to tie the game.
Emily Blocker lined a double to right-center and broke the 4-4 tie with a two-run knock. Johnson singled in Blocker on a hit up the middle to wrap up the scoring.
DCC followed that big third with a 1-2-3 fourth inning and the bats went to work with three more runs on four hits in the home half of the frame. Miller drove a 3-1 pitch to left-center to give her six RBI overall and a trio of dingers. After Hasfurter singled and stole second, Bender lifted a ball toward the same spot as Miller to expand the lead to 10-4.
The Warriors went back to Olivarria in the circle at that point and she was effective at keeping the DCC bats at bay.
An error in the fifth helped Sterling cut the deficit to 10-5, but Hasfurter continued to avoid the big inning despite the misfortune. With two outs in the sixth, the Warriors threatened again with a single up the middle and single off the pitcher. A double steal put two in scoring position, but pinch hitter Julia Beyale would get a groundout to short and Billodeaux made the play to keep the score intact.
McDowell would get her third RBI, which led the team, and second double to give the Crusaders an insurance run. The Crusaders had five stolen bases in the game, with McDowell swiping third base for her lone one. Blocker had drawn a walk. With runners on the corners, Blocker took off looking to get a throw. The throw by the catcher was cut off by the pitcher and an aggressive McDowell was unable to make it safely.
A tough seventh inning followed, as the Warriors put together 10 runs on nine hits. A double to left field, which was the first hard hit ball, would tie the game at 11. An RBI-double by Alexxis Thompson after Johnson was brought in relief would count for the go-ahead run. All hits prior to the Clarissa Hernandez double were well-placed singles. There was also a walk.
There was life for the Crusaders in the bottom of the seventh, as
Rhionnon Weatherly singled up the middle to start things, but three consecutive outs ended the game.
There were a combined 25 hits, with the Crusaders matching their runs and hits columns with 11. They almost overcame four errors in this game, while Sterling had the one major blemish.
Miller, Hasfurter, McDowell, and Blocker logged multi-hit performances, with McDowell and Blocker earning a pair of doubles. Hasfurter was the leader in scoring with three runs, while Miller and Bender each crossed home twice. 10 of the team's 11 RBI's came from spots 2-6 in the lineup. Hasfurter picked up two steals in the game and three overall. The native of Leander, Texas, was on base six times out of seven plate appearances in the doubleheader.
She would be charged with a tough loss as she went six plus innings. In the end, eight runs would be earned, as 12 of the 18 outs would be recorded on the ground. Hasfurter did pick up a pair of strikeouts. Johnson would clean up the last inning, as three runs came in but were unearned.
Olivarria would earn her second win on the day, as she closed the final 3.2 innings and struck out six. Alyssa Mason took the start for the Warriors and also struck out six in 2.2 innings. All seven runs she allowed were unearned.
Brennah Jimenez was the big bat for Sterling with a 3-for-5 and game-high four runs-batted-in. She had one of the team's three doubles, which hers was in the first inning and other two occurred in the seventh. Both innings were the only multi-scoring innings for Sterling.
Dallas Christian stays home for a doubleheader on Monday, March 14, versus Jarvis Christian College. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
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