Softball 3/26/2011 3:36:00 AM SUU Strategic Communication

Thunderbirds Post Doubleheader Sweep at Centenary

SHREVEPORT, La. - March 25 - Southern Utah batters scored early and Thunderbird pitchers kept Centenary batters at bay as SUU posted victories of 6-0 and 6-1 over the Ladies on Friday night. The wins move the T-Birds to 11-18 on the year and 6-2 in Summit League play.

Southern Utah opened game one with three consecutive hits as Jenavieve Purcell started the frame with a lead-off single. She was followed by a double to left by Aly Daniels and the duo came around to score on Haylee Hoch's three-run home run, giving the Thunderbirds the early 3-0 lead.

Three more runs crossed the plate for SUU in the top of the second as Heather Richardson and Nicole Huntsman began the inning with back-to-back singles. An errant throw during the base hit put runners on second and third and Cora Cordova drove in the first run with a ground ball RBI. Purcell then traded places with Huntsman on third during the next at bat, hitting a triple to centerfield. A sacrifice fly led to the final run of the frame as the Thunderbirds built a 6-0 lead.

Meanwhile, SUU starter Heather Black was baffling Centenary batters, surrendering the side in order over the first three innings before allowing the first runner on a fielding error and the first base hit in the fourth. However, Black then caught CC batters looking, ringing up three consecutive strikeouts. In all, Black tallied 14 strikeouts during the day, notching a new career high and giving up only four hits.

Back at the plate, Southern Utah had runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and sixth, but couldn't find the hit to score runners from second base. In the end the 6-0 lead remained through the final out.

In game two Brittany Henderson was the story, tallying five RBI on six Southern Utah runs on a pair of home runs. Henderson began the scoring for the T-Birds in the top of the second inning, putting a two-run home run over the centerfield fence to give SUU an early 2-0 lead.

A solo home run by Darleen Fernandez in the third grew the lead to 3-0 before Henderson's second home run of the day, a three-run shot to right centerfield, increased the lead to 6-0. Southern Utah had runners in scoring position in all but the fourth inning, but a final out in each frame stopped the scoring attack.

SUU starter Danielle Axe picked up her first victory of the season, throwing a complete game and allowing only one run on a Centenary home run in the bottom of the seventh. Axe surrendered only five hits during the game while notching four strikeouts to earn her first collegiate win at the Division-I level.

The two teams will play the series finale in Shreveport tomorrow with the first pitch scheduled for Noon (CT) with live stats available online at www.suutbirds.com.

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