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February 14, 2006

Softball

Lady Mavs nab championship

After early losses, the women put together a string of wins to claim 1st place in the Hawaii tournament.

Story by: Megan Magaña

The Shorthorn staff

Despite a sluggish start, the Mavericks softball team flew home from Hawaii as champions after its first tournament of the season.

The team took the title at the 2006 Oceanic Time Warner Cable Hawaii Paradise Classic this weekend to kick start the season.

The Lady Mavs finished the tournament on a three-game winning streak by defeating Southern Mississippi, host school University of Hawaii and Loyola Marymount.

In the championship game against Loyola Marymount, neither team scored in the first three innings, but UTA opened the gates and drove in seven runs on four hits, two walks, two hit batters and a LMU error. The Lady Mavs scored three more in the fifth inning and the game was shortened with a 10-0 UTA advantage.

UTA started its season with an 8-5 loss to Loyola Marymount two days prior.

The team has not won a tournament title since 1993 when it took the UTA Triangular Tournament over Oklahoma and New Mexico State.

Head coach Debbie Hedrick said the win is something the team can use to make itself better.

“We’re off to a great start, and we’re going to build,” she said.

The Lady Mavs had a decisive 6-2 win over Hawaii in the semifinals, despite a 10-4 loss Friday. In the win, pitcher Nicki Wilson gave up two runs in the first inning but was perfect the remainder of the game, and UTA’s offense took over for the win.

With the score tied at two, the Lady Mavs scored one run in the second inning and followed up with three more in the fifth.

Hedrick said the team hit the ball well.

“We put some runs on the board to take some pressure off defense and pitching,” she said.

The team’s standout players were shortstop Amanda Swofford, who went 2-3 with a run, an RBI and a double, first baseman Dee Jay Nelson, 2-4 with two runs and right fielder Autumn Petrino who had an RBI double.

In the Southern Mississippi game, UTA scored first and last to seal the win. second baseman Jenna Fortune’s home run in the first inning drove in two early runs for UTA.

In the fifth, the Golden Eagles allowed three straight singles, and Fortune notched an RBI. However, the inning ended with UTA players at every base.

Southern Mississippi scored in the fifth, and the Mavs responded in the bottom of the inning. Center fielder April Clougherty and designated hitter Katie Jones both drove in RBIs.

Hedrick said defense, offense and pitching were all on.

“I have to say A-plus on everything,” she said.

She said the team put in a good effort, and the statistics speak for themselves.

“Each and every game, someone was called upon to play a role,” she said.

The Lady Mavs dropped early tournament games to Loyola, Hawaii and Southland Conference rival Texas State. Hedrick said it was probably early jitters.

“We knew we were better than we were playing,” she said. “They were able to adjust, and I think that was the difference.”

Petrino and Clougherty made the all-tournament team, with Petrino as the MVP. Hedrick said several UTA players had high-caliber play.

She said that the Lady Mavs were able to enjoy Hawaii for a day, and that she is especially pleased to come home with a win.

“It’s just a good, solid foundation for us to build on,” she said.

Correction

The article should have stated that Laura Jones pitched in the softball team’s win over Hawaii.