By Gene Schallenberg
Staff Reporter
HUNTSVILLE — Patience, it turns out, can pay off in the most unlikeliest of circumstances.
After Texas-San Antonio scored a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning, the Sam Houston State softball team had to get some runs in a hurry.
The Bearkats didn’t press at the plate and literally walked away with a 4-3 victory and completed a three-game sweep over the Roadrunners.
With a runner on second base and one out, the Bearkats drew four walks in their next five at-bats, including the game-winning walk by second baseman Lauren Burns.
“(UTSA pitcher Danye Holmes) had been pitching to me a lot outside,” Burns said. “I knew she was probably going to continue pitching outside, so I was just waiting for my pitch.”
Trailing for the first time all game after UTSA (3-6 in Southland play, 7-16 overall) scored twice in the top half of the eighth to take a 3-1 lead, the Bearkats, who had five runners in scoring position through the first seven innings and produced only one run, needed to find a way to put some runs on the board.
Right fielder Erin Burford hit a line drive to the left-center field fence for a stand-up double to lead off the inning. First baseman Amy Brown grounded out to second baseman Ashley Kappler, but was able to advance Burford to third. Pitcher Morgan Mikulin and third baseman Shelbi Tucker drew back-to-back walks to load the bases and left fielder Calli Wood walked to pull the Kats (3-6, 9-14) to within a run.
Catcher Ashley Isbell, who went 0-for-3 in her previous at-bats, hit a looping single that fell into shallow right field, which drove in the tying run.
With a chance to bring in the winning run, Burns followed her coach’s instructions ended the game with a walk-off walk.
“Coach (Bob) Brock kept giving me the sign to take, so I was just trying to be selective,” Burns said. “It was a team effort.We knew that we had to step up and work as a team and stay positive. It worked out that way.”
Getting her first conference start, freshman Tori Benavidez had a solid performance in the pitching circle. Benavidez gave up just one hit and struck out three through five innings.
“Since we’ve been putting Tori in to pitch, she’s just gotten better and better,” Brock said. “This was a pretty good team that we’re going against, so I thought we would see how she fared against them. She did a really great job.”
After getting swept by Stephen F. Austin and Texas State in their first two conference series, the Bearkats have gotten right back into the mix of things.
“It feels great to get a win,” Burns added. “I can see that we can get more in the future. I just know that this is a different team than in those first two series. I think things can only get better. This can definitely get us right back on track.”
Riding a five-game winning streak, the Bearkats host North Dakota State at the Bearkat Softball Complex on Tuesday in a doubleheader, which will begin at 2 p.m.
