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`Cats Wrap Up Regular Season with 4-1 Win
May 4, 2008
LAKE CHARLES - Ashton Peters and Kristina Tello combined for five hits and two runs while Ragan Blake struck out nine Cowgirls to help close out Texas State softball's (35-17, 25-5 SLC) regular season with a 4-1 win at McNeese State (22-35, 15-14 SLC) on Sunday. Peters went 3-for-3 on the day and scored the game's first run in the third inning when Tello tripled her home with two outs to make it 1-0. "I saw the ball well all weekend and felt good up there today," said Peters, who set a season high with her three hits in the game. The Bobcats held their 1-0 lead behind the strong pitching of Blake, who faced just one batter over the minimum through the first five innings, scattering three hits and not allowing a runner to reach second. Peters came up big again in the sixth to help add insurance runs for the `Cats with a lead-off double from the ninth spot in the batting order. Tello followed with a single to put runners on the corners, and Jill Kloesel brought home Texas State's second run with an RBI single. Alex Newton and McKenzie Baack followed Kloesel with RBI singles of their own as Texas State scored three runs on five straight hits to start the inning, extending its lead to 4-0 in the process. "It's important for someone at the bottom of the lineup to jumpstart the top," said Peters. "That's how we scored our first run today, and we need people one through nine in the lineup to get on base and produce. If it's not me, someone else in the order will step up."
Blake (20-10) ran into some trouble in the seventh, giving up an RBI single to Rachel King before hitting a batter to load the bases, but Tiffany Ritchie struck out swinging with two outs and the tying run on first to end the game. Blake finished with nine strikeouts on the day and one run allowed on six hits while Bethany Stefinsky took the loss after giving up four earned runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts. Texas State will now return home and prepare for the 2008 Southland Conference Tournament, which will be hosted by the Bobcats May 8-10. Texas State's top seed in the tournament was unaffected by the outcome of Sunday's game, but head coach Ricci Woodard still saw the importance of ending the regular season with a win. "We talked about putting ourselves in a better position for the conference tournament," said Woodard. "Ragan (Blake) pitched well, we did a good job today of staying focused and it showed." "This win's important because it's the last game before the SLC Tournament, so it's a good step in heading toward the right direction for the tournament," said Peters. "Even though we didn't change spots in the standings, today still meant a lot because the next game we play will be win-or-go-home." Texas State's first game in the SLC Tournament will be Friday, May 9, at 6:30 p.m. as one of two semifinal games in the tournament. The official tournament field and bracket pairings will be announced Monday. |
