Back-to-back Long Balls Push Bobcats to Second Round of SLC Tournament

Ryan Kos and Alyce Rother packed a punch along with their bags for the Bobcats' first game of the SLC Softball Conference Tournament in Lake Charles, Louisiana, for a 3-1 win Thursday over Stephen F. Austin. Chandler Hall went the distance in seven innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out six. She allowed six walks as well, a concerning issue, as the freshman righty was all over the place and will most likely get the call to start the third game of the tournament. Fastballs and off speed pitches alike were not hitting the outside edge to right handed hitters, forcing Hall to press and over throw the ball.

Megan Parten behind the plate did a good job of keeping balls in front of her and hopping to her feet when Hall sent one way up top. Hall came out strong, but not confident, in the first inning to retire the side in order. Call it first time nerves. By the middle innings, Hall was experiencing control issues, but the Lady 'Jacks had a difficult time keeping the ball fair. Attribute this to the fact that Hall gave them nothing worth hitting, and when she did, it was a fly out or a weak ground ball in the infield. Hall's inconsistency proved to be beneficial to her team; the Lady 'Jacks had no clue what to swing at or which pitch was coming, and after a while when they pulled the trigger, it wasn't worth swinging anyway. The fifth inning ended on a check swing strike out, and the final batter of the game was called out on a beautiful curve ball outside, despite the check swing.

The Bobcats found life in McKenzie Baack, Ryan Kos and Alyce Rother at the bottom of the lineup as they scored the team's three RBIs on the day. Baack led off the home half of the second frame with a double to the left centerfield wall, and Kos moved her to third with a sac bunt, something she's been called upon to do often this season. Alyce Rother rocked a 2-2 pitch into the gap in right, scoring the runner. Later in the fourth, Kos and Rother got production moving in a big way. Kos can play a good game of small-ball, sure, and she can launch 275-foot home runs as well. McNeese State's scoreboard in left is easily 25 feet tall, and the little yellow dot sailed well over it onto the neighboring soccer field just beyond the wall. By the time her fifth dinger of the season came back into orbit, Monika Covington came from the 'pen to replace starter Lauren Luetge. Rother promptly sent a line drive into the scoreboard itself, boosting the Bobcat lead to 3-1, with a true "ding" to the dinger, indeed. Rother's timing was good -- kinda. This was her her first homer of the season. But hey, she'll take it. Luetge was credited with the loss, surrendering two runs on five hits.

Despite giving up the second long ball in a row, Covington, a tall, thin left hander, made the rest of the 'Cat lineup look silly. Her fastball had more life than many of the pitchers coach Woodard's girls have seen. Attribute that to her long arms and strong wrist action. That action got her breaking pitches to spin the 'Cat hitters into the ground. Covington's fantastic movement sent balls through the backdoor to most right handed hitters and her curve ball started at the hitter's eyes halfway to the catcher, ending up pin the dirt at the plate. She K'd six and only walked one in 2 and 2/3 innings.

In the top of the seventh, Hall started to look tired and saw a few more thrills when she got two quick outs and proceeded to walk one. With a runner on and the tying run at bat, SFA short stop Ashley Struchtmeye hit a deep fly ball foul. And deep means deeper than Kos's fair shot. Struchtmeye eventually drew a walk, and Hall struck out the next batter to seal the win, 3-1. The victorious pitcher ended up throwing nearly as many balls as strikes, but her inconsistency paid off, which is usually not the case for any pitcher. Make that a case for Hall to earn SLC Softball Player of the Year... next year.

Texas State takes the field against host team McNeese State, the No. 2 seed for the tournament, Friday. The Cowgirls hold a 1-2 edge over the 'Cats during the 2009 regular season. Friday's first pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m. with live video and stats on Southland.org. But for all the play-by-play action and pre-game analysis, tune into 89.9 FM KTSW or TxStateBobcats.com at 3:45 p.m.

- Mason Robinson, KTSW Sports Staff Writer