Trojan News

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Trevecca Trojan softball team (17-2) delivered a double header sweep of Rio Grande (8-4) 8-0 in five innings and 9-1 in six innings.

Trevecca has won two in a row after a mini two-game losing streak. Trevecca won the first 15 games of the season, the third longest winning streak in school history. The 2004-2005 Trevecca softball team won their first 26 games, tying the third longest consecutive wins streak in NAIA history at the time. It still stands as the longest in Trevecca softball history. The 2002-2003 team started 16-0 while the 2006-2007 team won their first 14 games. The NAIA record is now 33 consecutive wins.

Trevecca scored the first runs on game one in their half of the second inning. Breanna Zeis started the scoring with a one-out single setting the table for Monica West and her 2-run home run. It was the first of three two-run home runs for Trevecca in the game. In the third Kelsey Lantrip reached on a one-out walk and Megan Hemmingsen hit another 2-run home run for the Trojans. An out later Karli Rush reached on an error and Zeis made the error count with the Trojans third 2-run home run of the game and second in the inning. Kelsey Lantrip had an RBI-single in the fourth. The game-winning hit went to Riley Mashburn, the starting pitcher. Mashburn hit an RBI-single in the bottom of the fifth to force the 8-run rule.

Trevecca had 10 hits and two errors while Rio Grande had just one hit and an error.

Mashburn (9-1) picked up the win in one-hit fashion over five innings of work. The sophomore allowed six walks and struck out four RedStorm players. Ana Smith (3-2) took the loss for the RedStorm. Smith allowed 10 hits, eight runs, six earned runs, four walks, and two strike outs. 

Zeis was 2-3 with two runs scored and two RBI. West was 1-1 with two runs scored, two walks, and two RBI.

In game two, Trevecca jumped out to a 6-0 lead with five in the third and on in the fourth. Rio Grande scored their lone run of the double header with a solo home run from coatcher Kaylyn Heading in the top of the sixth. Trevecca forced the 8-run rule for the second game in a row with three runs in the sixth.

Instead of three home runs, Trevecca had three doubles in the second game. The five run third saw Brooke Brennan walk, Kelsey Lantrip single. Megan Hemmingsen hit into a fielders choice and was out at first. Anais Puertas bunched and reached on a bunt that scored Brennan. Puertas made it second and third with a stolen base. Karli Rush hit a two-run double that plated West and Puertas. Zeis doubled and scored Rush and Zeis advanced to third on an errant throw. Zeis was picked off, but West advanced to third in the run down. Melinda Patterson singled driving in West from third. In the fourth West hit an RBI-double that scored Rush.

In the sixth Trevecca scored three as Puertas singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild throw. Rush walked and Zeis singled to score Puertas and advanced Rush to third. West hit into a fielder's choice that forced Zeis out at second, but scored Rush. Patterson reached on an error and Lauren Baker singled to deep center to score West for the win.

Baker (8-1) pitched six innings allowing four hits, a run, two walks, and struck out 13.

Rush was 2-3 with three runs scored, two RBI, a double, and a walk. Zeis was 2-4 with two RBI and a double. West was 1-3 with two runs scored, a double, two RBI, and a walk.

Trevecca will visit No. 8 Martin Methodist (19-6) on Wednesday at 3 p.m. Both teams are TranSouth members, but the double header won't count towards the conference standings.