Softball wins two, closes 3-3 in Arizona

Chase Shortly's solo home run broke a 3-3 tie in the final inning and pitcher Hayley Dunning worked a complete game and got a game-ending double-play grounder as St. Thomas Softball scored a 4-3 win over No. 17-ranked Moravian (Pa.) Sunday at the NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic in Tucson, Ariz.

The Tommies (3-3) closed the day with an 11-6 win over No. 20-ranked UW-Oshkosh.

UST managed just five hits but left eight on base against Moravian. Rachel Suter had a hit and two RBI. Dunning stranded 10 runners on the ganme as she allowed three runs, nine hoits and two walks

St. Thomas started the weekend with an 11-6 win over Linfield aided by Shortly's three-run home in the last inning. Linfield went on to win its final five games of the tournament.

In the Oshkosh win, Sammy Hogan pitched into the seventh inning for the victory and retired eight of the last 10 batters to close the trip on a positive note. Sarah Bueno, Dana Connelly and Jenna Besso had multiple-RBI games, and all nine batters for UST had least one hit.

On the weekend, the Tommie offense scored 38 runs and averaged 10 base runners a game but were hurt by 28 walks issued and 10 defensive errors. Elise Barnes had four multiple-hit games and led by 10 hits, while Chase Shortly and Jenna Beeso each had eight hits.

St. Thomas is scheduled to play eight games in Florida March 24-29.

Saturday story

St. Thomas Softball took two losses Saturday at the NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic in Tucson. Ariz. The Toms (1-3) fell 4-2 to unbeaten and No. 9-ranked Texas Lutheran, then lost 17-8 in five innings to Coe.

The Tommies close the trip Sunday with games against two other ranked teams -- No. 17-ranked Moravian (Pa.) and No. 20-ranked UW-Oshkosh.

Jenna Beeso drove in four runs with two doubles and Elisa Barnes also had two hits in the Coe loss.

Jenna Bromen had two hits and an RBI in the TLU defeat. Hayley Dunning allowed one earned runs in six innings against TLU as she allowed eight hits an four walks with two strikeouts.

Friday story

Junior Chase Shortly drove in six runs in a 4-for-5 performance as St. Thomas Softball started its 2018 season with an 11-6 defeat of Linfield Friday at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Tucson.

The Toms (1-1) fell 12-2 in five innings in their second game to No. 24-ranked Berry (Ga.). Berry, a 40-4 finisher last spring, improved to 13-2 with both losses by scores of 2-0 and 1-0 to Emory.

Shortly's three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning gave the Toms breathing room in the defeat of Linfield. She previously had a double and two singles and also scored three runs to help stake the Toms to an early 6-1 lead.

The Wildcats led 1-0 early, fell behind 6-1, and then pulled within 7-6 with a threat in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Sammy Hogan started for UST and allowed four runs, five hits and five walks in 3.2 innings. Sophomore Hayley Dunning -- in just her eighth career appearance -- came on in relief and allowed two runs and five hits for the save over the final 3.1 innings. She set down four of the last five batters to close out the victory.

Elise Barnes added three hits for UST against Linfield, then homered and doubled against Berry. The Toms managed just three hits and four baserunners in that loss, with Jenna Beeso and Rachel Suter each adding doubles.

The Tommies play No. 9-ranked Texas Lutheran and Coe on Saturday, and finish the trip with Sunday games against Coe and No. 20-ranked UW-Oshkosh.

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Team Stats

Chase Shortly

Elise Barnes

Jenna Beeso

Melissa Barry

Players Mentioned

Elise Barnes

Jenna Beeso

Jenna Bromen

Sarah Bueno

Dana Connelly

Hayley Dunning

Sammy Hogan

Chase Shortly

Rachel Suter

University of St. Thomas Athletics