Courtesy Lyon College Athletics Department
BATESVILLE, Ark. – Lyon College underclassmen Valerie Howell and Stephanie Haft both connected with towering home runs Saturday afternoon as they helped the Scots softball team to a 10-7 victory over the Davenport (Mich.) University in the Consolation game of the Lyon College Southern Bank Classic at Howard & Mary House Field.
The win ended three games of frustration for the Scots in the tourney, as they bounced back from 16 errors in their first three games. But against Davenport (1-2-1), Lyon finally began putting it all together, as the Scots improved their record to 1-3.
Earlier in the day on Saturday, Lyon dropped a 14-6 decision to Blue Mountain (Miss.) College. And Ashford topped Davenport, 4-3. Ashford won the championship with a 10-2 win over Blue Mountain.
Lyon College 10, University of Davenport 7
Howell, a junior third baseman from Lindale, Tex., produced a 2-for-4 outing with three runs driven in, as she connected with her second home run in as many days to lead the Scots’ 10-7 victory over Davenport in the Consolation game.
Howell, who is hitting .545 on the year thus far, with seven RBIs, scored a pair of runs in the game. Haft, a freshman from Albuquerque, N.M., pushed four runs across the plate with her grand slam home run and finished 1-for-3, with a run scored.
Three other Lyon College players recorded three hits each in the 13-hit attack. Freshman leftfielder Apple Filat went 3-for-5, with three runs scored, freshman Savannah Graham finished 3-for-5 with a pair of runs, a double and a RBI, and freshman pitcher Jessica Cagigas helper her cause at the dish with a 3-for-5 effort, with a run driven in, a stolen base and a run scored.
Freshman Macy Coffee also recorded a hit in the game.
Cagigas and senior Lauren Mills combined to pick up the win in the circle. Cagigas started the game and improved her season record 1-2. In three frames she allowed four earned runs on six hits, with a pair of walks and three strikeouts. Mills worked the final four innings, giving up three runs on three hits, with a pair of strikeouts and a walk.
Blue Mountain College 14, Lyon College 6
The Scots recorded six runs in their final pool game on Saturday morning, but seven errors hurt the team’s ability to pick up a win in a 14-6 loss to Blue Mountain.
Cagigas took the loss. In 2.2 innings she allowed 11 unearned runs on seven hits, with three strikeouts and four walks. Sophomore Kate Tyree pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on two hits, with four walks and a strikeout.
The Scots did record five hits in the game. Howell was a perfect 2-for-2, with a pair of runs batted in and a walk. Filat tripled in four at-bats, adding two runs, a stolen base and two runs batted in. Freshman Kenzie Mounce was a perfect 1-for-1, with a run scored, and Cagigas added a hit and two runs driven in.
2013 LYON COLLEGE SOURTHERN BANK CLASSIC
(at Howard & Mary House Field, Batesville, Ark.)
Friday’s Results
Davenport (Mich.) University 11, Lyon College 2
Ashford (Iowa) University 5, Lyon College 0
Ashford University15, Blue Mountain (Miss.) College 7
Davenport University 2, Blue Mountain College 2 (tie)
Saturday’s Results
Ashford University 4, Davenport University 3
Blue Mountain College 14, Lyon College 6
Consolation Game
Lyon College 10, Davenport University 7
Championship
Ashford University 10, Blue Mountain College 2