The Skyline Newspaper

Celina Candelaria. Photo by Jason Hennington

Lady Lobos Lose at College of the Southwest, Hardin-Simmons

Sul Ross State University seeks a reversal of fortune this weekend when they return home for an American Southwest Conference softball series against Concordia University.

Coach Sandra Chambers’ team dropped a 15-4, 16-6 non-conference doubleheader at the College of the Southwest in Hobbs, N.M. last Tuesday (March 18) and were swept in four games by Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene Thursday and Friday (March 20-21). HSU won 19-1, 13-1 Thursday and 9-0, 7-0 Friday.

Sul Ross, 2-16, 1-7 in the ASC West Division, meets the Lady Tornados in 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. games Friday, with a noon start slated for Saturday’s twin bill.

Valerie Olivarez (San Antonio) socked a two-run double to lead Sul Ross’ attack in the first game against CSW. Bianca Espinoza (San Antonio) added an RBI single, while Shannon Reyes (Bandera), Kassie Fuller (Alpine) and Dee Dee De Lao (Alpine) also singled. Olivarez was the losing pitcher, although seven runs were unearned in CSW’s 11-run fourth.

CSW scored four in the first and nine in the second to jump to an early advantage in the nightcap. The Lady Lobos answered with six in the top of the fifth, including a two-run triple by Christa Carrasco (Presidio) and a two-run double by Vanadie Carpio (Houston). Fuller and Kara Lick (Gatesville) added RBI singles as Sul Ross finished with 12 hits.

Carrasco, Carpio and Chelsea Rios (Marfa) finished with two hits each, while Celina Candelaria (El Paso), Fuller, Gabriela Cordero (Fort Stockton), Lick, Espinoza and Brenda Delgado (El Paso) rapped one each. Lick was the losing pitcher.

Hardin-Simmons, 12-6, 4-4 ASC West, dominated the weekend series, limiting the Lady Lobos to two runs and 18 hits. The Cowgirls socked three homers among six extra-base hits in Thursday’s 19-1 opening win, and added two home runs and four doubles in the nightcap.

Olivarez singled home Sul Ross’ lone run in the first game, while Carrasco launched a first-inning homer in the second contest. Hardin-Simmons pitchers allowed just three hits in each game. Olivarez, Candelaria and Espinoza all singled in the opener, while Carrasco homered and Carpio and Espinoza singled in the second tilt.

Sul Ross managed seven hits but could not score in Friday’s first game. Candelaria and Carpio had two hits each, while Olivarez, Carrasco and De Lao also hit safely. HSU scored a single run in the second, then added five in the third and four in the fourth, collecting 11 hits.

Rawlings and Cole combined for a five-hit shutout in the finale, using a four-run second and three-run sixth for offense.  Bradley socked three doubles and drove in three runs to pace the Cowgirls’ offensive.

Vanessa Pena (San Antonio) doubled and Carrasco, De Lao, Reyes and Lick singled for the Lady Lobo hits.

Baseball Team Swept by Concordia

Concordia pounded 40 hits, including seven home runs, to sweep a three-game American Southwest Conference series from visiting Sul Ross State University March 20-21 at Austin.

The Tornados belted four round trippers in Thursday’s (March 20) 14-4 win, then swept Friday’s twin bill 11-3 and 8-5.

Coach Mike Pallanez’ nine, 4-19 overall, 1-8 in the ASC West Division, hosts Howard Payne University in a three-game set Friday (March 28, 7 p.m.) and Saturday (March 29, 1 p.m. doubleheader) at Kokernot Field.

Concordia’s 13-hit attack overcame two solo homers by James Johnson (Killeen) in their first-game win. Jacobs opened the scoring with a first-inning solo homer, matched by Johnson in the top of the second. Concordia then tallied 13 runs in the third through eighth frames to put the game out of reach, adding three more home runs.

Johnson homered again in the Lobos’ three-run ninth and Eric Castillo (Del Rio) added a two-run single. Johnson and Javier Arrieta (El Paso) each had two of Sul Ross’ 11 hits, while Castillo, Zach Denson (Fredericksburg), John Kinsey (Lockhart), Isaiah Rayos (Pecos), Richard Fraire (El Paso) and Andrew Ramos (El Paso) also hit safely.

Jaime Rojo (Alpine) started and took the loss, with relief from Harvey Cardiel (Tornillo) and Robby Lopez (Del Rio).

Concordia opened Saturday’s action with a four-run first en route to an 11-3 win. The victors added two in the third, fourth in the fourth and one in the fifth, lashing 15 hits. Wernecke homered, doubled twice and drove in four runs to lead the attack.

Arrieta rapped a solo homer in the fourth and Monte Piper (Houston) and Fraire slapped RBI singles in the seventh for the Sul Ross runs. Piper collected two of the Lobos’ six hits, while Johnson, Fraire, Arrieta and Chris Rodriguez (San Angelo) had the others.

Cody Kemmerling (Hitchcock) was the losing pitcher, with relief from Ritchie Ortega (Clint).

Concordia used three runs in the fifth and four in the sixth to overcome a 2-0 deficit in Saturday’s nightcap. Wernecke’s three-run homer erased the deficit in the fifth and the catcher added an RBI single in the sixth. The winners added a solo run in the eighth.

Rodriguez smacked a run-scoring double and Adrian Zepeda (Clint) singled him home to give Sul Ross a 2-0 edge in the fourth. The Lobos added three in the seventh to close within 7-5 as Johnson poked an RBI double and Rodriguez drilled a two-run single.

Rodriguez finished with three hits and three RBI to lead the 10-hit offensive. Denson, Castillo and Johnson had two hits each and Zepeda one. Michael Otero (Houston) pitched the first five innings and took the loss. Lucas Garza (Hebbronville) and Eddie Vela (Pecos) worked in relief.

Lobo Tracks...Arrieta leads the team in most offensive categories, batting .395 with 32 hits, including eight doubles, two triples and four homers. The shortstop has scored 17 runs, driven home 20 and stolen 11 bases in 12 tries....Rodriguez (.288), Castillo (.259), Johnson (.258) and Denson (.257) trail Arrieta.....Piper has 11 runs batted in and Johnson 10.