MARSHALL, TEXAS – The York College softball team continued their Texas spring trip with a twin bill against the defending national champion East Texas Baptist University on Friday afternoon in Marshall, Texas. The Tigers swept the Spartans with a tight 3-0 in the opener followed by a 9-0, five-inning win in the nightcap.
The Tigers, who are ranked first in the coaches poll, improve to 15-1 while the Spartans fall to 1-7 on the campaign.
 
Game One
Runs: York 0 - #1 ETBU 3
Hits: York 1 – ETBU 5
Errors: York 0 – ETBU 0
LOB: York 2 – ETBU 8
WP: Avery Holland (4-0); LP: Natalie Rietema (1-4)
 
How It Happened
• Offense was at a premium in the opening three innings of the game as the starting pitchers were on point. York's Natalie Rietema allowed four base runners with a pair of walks and a pair of hit batters over the three innings but she did not surrender a base hit through three. ETBU starter Avery Holland didn't allow a base runner until the third when she drilled Danella Silagy with a pitch to break up the perfect game.
• The Tigers finally broke through in the fourth inning. Makayla Menchue singled to left with two outs. Carley Johnson pinch ran for Menchue and she stole second to get herself into scoring position. Katelynn Jones then broke up the shutout as she tripled down the left field line to score Johnson for the 1-0 lead. Rietema left Johnson stranded at third the minimize the damage.
• The Tigers added to the lead in the fifth as Tristen Maddox ripped a solo shot to left center, pushing the lead to 2-0. The only drama left in the game was whether Holland was going to throw a no-hitter. She knifed through the Spartan lineup in the top of the sixth as she needed just six pitches to get three outs.
• East Texas Baptist added to the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly to put runners at second and third with an out. Jones singled sharply to left to make the lead 3-0 Tigers. Rietema got a fly out and a ground out to end the ETBU threat.
• The drama of the no-hitter ended in the top of the seventh as Gretchen Barstad legged out an infield hit to the shortstop's backhand to lead off the inning. Barstad was quickly erased two pitches later on a 6-4-3 double play as the Spartans were shutout for the fifth time this year.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Gretchen Barstad: 1-for-3
Alexis McDonald: 0-for-2, 1 BB
Danella Silagy: 0-for-1, HBP
 
Spartan Pitching
Natalie Rietema: 6.0 IP, 5 hits, 3 ER, 1 K, 4 BB, 2 HB
 
Game Two
Runs: York 0 – ETBU 9 (5 inn)
Hits: York 1 – ETBU
Errors: York 0 – ETBU 0
LOB: York 1 – ETBU 5
WP: Larkin Daniels (1-0); LP: Krysten Coppage (0-3)
 
How It Happened
• After being held down in game one by Natalie Rietema, the Tigers came out roaring in game two. ETBU struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first as Tristen Maddox drew a lead-off walk and proceeded to steal second. Izabella Morales laid down a bunt single. Haylie Stum singled in the two runs to put the Tigers up 2-0. The damage could have been much worse as ETBU loaded the bases with no outs. Fortunately for York, starter Kyrsten Coppage was able to get out of the inning without any further scoring.
• The Tigers tacked on six more runs in the bottom of the second highlighted by a three-run bomb from Makayla Menchue as the hosts were firmly in control of game two. The Tigers added a solo shot from Maci Shirley in the bottom of the fourth to push the lead to 9-0.
• The Spartans would be held hitless until the last inning when Alexis McDonaugh singled to lead off the top of the fifth. A Spartan pinch runner would get thrown out as York would not get a runner past first base in the game.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Alexis McDonaugh: 1-for-2
Danella Silagy: 0-for-1, BB
 
Spartan Pitching
Kyrsten Coppage: 1.2 IP, 5 hits, 7 runs, 5 ER, 0 K, 3 BB, 2 HB
Courtney Freese: 1.1 IP, 2 hits, 2 ER, 0 K, 3 BB, 1 HB
Gretchen Barstad: 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs
 
Spartan Notes
The two games are the first meeting between the two programs … the Spartans continue to struggle on offense as they had just one hit in each game … York is hitting .201 (35-for-174) while they have just drawn 12 walks in eight games … York has been outscored 60-16 on their trip to CNU and Texas … East Texas Baptist is the second top ten team the Spartans have faced on the trip (#9 CNU and #1 ETBU) … game one against the Tigers was the best outing for junior Natalie Rietema as she allowed just three runs to the top team in the country … Rietema scattered five hits as she walked four and struck out one.
 
Up Next
The Spartans end their ten-game trip with a doubleheader against LeTourneau on Saturday afternoon. The games will be played at East Texas Baptist and first pitch for game one is scheduled for 1:00 pm.