Box Score


 
HAMMOND – UTSA junior pitchers Haylee Staton and Alyssa Vordenbaum combined for a one-hit shutout, as the Roadrunners defeated Southeastern Louisiana, 4-0, in Southland Conference softball action Saturday afternoon at North Oak Park.
 
After a 4-1 win on Friday, the Lady Lions (9-29, 2-10 SLC) were unable to secure its first Southland sweep of the season. UTSA (17-21, 7-5 Southland) scored a run in the third inning, a run in the sixth and two runs in the seventh to salvage a split.
 
Junior designated player Katie Doyle was the lone Lady Lion to get a hit. Southeastern was not without scoring chances, as Staton (9-5) and Vordenbaum combined to walk three and hit three, but the Lady Lions stranded seven runners in the loss.
 
Fresh off a complete-game three-hit performance on Friday, junior Kenna Terry (3-13) took the tough loss. The Baytown, Texas native scattered six hits in 5.2 innings of relief.
 
Southeastern mounted a scoring threat in the bottom of the second inning without the benefit of a hit. Staton hit junior first baseman Ariell Van Hook, walked senior right fielder Katie Matthews and hit senior third baseman Trish Bliss to load the bases with two outs. Staton was able to get out of the inning unscathed by forcing junior centerfielder Michelle Duhe to fly out to deep right to end the inning.
 
The Roadrunners got on the board in their half of the third. Sophomore shortstop Molly Fichtner and freshman catcher Megan Low led off the frame with consecutive singles. Fichtner would score one out later on a sacrifice fly by senior third baseman Nikki Goff to give UTSA a 1-0 lead.
 
With Staton and Vordenbaum holding the Lady Lions at bay, UTSA was able to add to its lead in the top of the sixth inning. Freshman centerfielder Courtney Buchman led off the inning with a single. After Terry was able to retire the next two batters, sophomore right fielder Sierra Sproul blooped a single into shallow left center, allowing Buchman to score and pushing the Roadrunner lead to 2-0.
 
Any chance of a Southeastern comeback was ended in the top of the seventh. With two outs and a runner on second, Goff lined a home run over the left field fence. Goff's fourth home run of the season gave UTSA a commanding 4-0 lead.
 
Southeastern sophomore shortstop Kayla Elswick drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Vordenbaum shut the door from there. Vordenbaum retired the next three Lady Lions to secure her first save of the season.
 
Southeastern will be back in action on Tuesday, hosting South Alabama at 6 p.m. at North Oak Park. Southeastern students in attendance will receive free food from Cane's as available. Live stats will be available at www.LionSports.net and fans can follow the action via Twitter at www.twitter.com/sluathletics.