Tampa Splits Mid-Week Doubleheader Against Southwest Minnesota State

TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Tampa softball team spilt the mid-week doubleheader against Southwest Minnesota State as the Spartans snapped a three-game losing streak in game two. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP (Game One):

Final: Southwest Minnesota State 4 (W: Megan Cull, 3-0), Tampa 3 (L: Mariah Galhouse, 6-5)
Records: University of Tampa Spartans (18-9, 9-3 SSC), Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs (8-5)
Location: Naimoli Family Stadium || Tampa, Fla.
All-Time Series: The Spartans lead the series, 6-1, which started in 2017. UT out-scored SMSU by 25 runs, 31-6, in the six-game stretch prior to this afternoon's contest.
Follow Us: @TampaSpartans on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Additionally, @Tampa_Softball on Twitter, and Instagram for social media content and scoring updates.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

TOP 6TH | Tampa recorded the first two outs of the inning before SMSU's Jillian Noel lasered a stand up double to right-center field. Noel moved to third base on a single from Lileya Kebos. Madison Krog gave the Mustangs the first lead of the game with an RBI base-knock to right field. With runners at the corners, Kaylee Hentges hit a dribbler to shortstop and Stephanie Balmer's throw short-hopped first base which allowed SMSU to extend their lead. || SMSU 2, UT 0

BOT 6TH | To lead off the inning, Bailey Phillips hit a pop-up in the middle of the infield and the Mustangs' middle infielders' collided on the play which allowed Phillips to reach base. Lexie Chevalier singled in the following at-bat to move Phillips into scoring position. The runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Emalee Jansen. With two runners on, Emily Proffitt hit a groundball to shortstop and Madysson Schliinz skipped the throw to first. The error by Schliinz gave the Spartans their first run of the game as Phillips scored from third base. After a walk to the pinch-hitter Alexa Russo, Balmer flared a sacrifice fly into right field to even the score for UT. Proffitt advanced to third on the sacrifice fly and scored on an RBI single from Cristina Clauberg. || UT 3, SMSU 2

TOP 7TH | Schliinz led off the inning for the Mustangs and reached on an error by Balmer. In the next at-bat, Bailey Johnson blasted a double to left field over the fielders' head and Schliinz scored from first on the extra-base hit. Emma Grote continued the rally for SMSU with a single up the middle. With runners at the corners, Noel logged an RBI on a sacrifice fly and gave SMSU a lead three outs to go. || SMSU 4, UT 3

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Mariah Galhouse made the 12th start of her freshman campaign and tossed her fourth complete game of the year. The right-hander allowed one earned run on nine hits while she struck out five batters.
• Cristina Clauberg reached in all four at-bats as the red-shirt senior registered a season-high three hits, an RBI and a walk. 
• Lexie Chevalier recorded a multi-hit game for the second time in the last three contests.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Galhouse has registered at least one hit in 11 of the last 12 games, including a five-game hitting streak. 
• The Spartans have dropped three consecutive games, including four of the last five. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP (Game Two):

Final: Tampa 8 (W: Sam Kaye, 1-0) Southwest Minnesota State 1 (L: Allison Christians, 3-2)
Records: University of Tampa Spartans (19-9, 9-3 SSC), Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs (8-6)
Location: Naimoli Family Stadium || Tampa, Fla.
All-Time Series: The Spartans lead the series, 7-1, which started in 2017. UT out-scored SMSU by 25 runs, 31-6, in the six-game stretch prior to this afternoon's contest.
Follow Us: @TampaSpartans on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Additionally, @Tampa_Softball on Twitter, and Instagram for social media content and scoring updates.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

BOT 2ND | Mariah Galhouse led off the inning with a base hit to left field. Galhouse registered her third stolen base of the season to move into scoring position. With two outs, Sam Kaye dribbled an RBI single up the middle. Kailee Clark, making her first start of the year, hit a laser back at the pitcher and reached base on the infield single. Avery Perkins, a freshman from Fort Myers, Fla., slapped an infield single to the left side. With the bases-loaded, Stephanie Balmer extended the lead for UT with a two-run single into center field. || UT 3, SMSU 0

BOT 4TH | To begin the inning, Sam Kaye reached on a throwing error by SMSU's second basemen, Molly Bull. Clark logged her second base hit of the ballgame with a liner into left field. The two runners advanced on a passed ball and scored on a two-run single from Cristina Clauberg. || UT 5, SMSU 0

BOT 5TH | With one out, Emily Proffitt walked for the Spartans. Alissa Carfora reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to third on a single from Kaye. With runners at the corners, Clark set her career-high with her third hit of the ballgame. The base-knock for Clark extended the lead for Tampa as Carfora scored from third. || UT 6, SMSU 0

TOP 6TH | SMSU's Bailey Johnson singled to center field with one out. Emma Grote and Johnson were ruled safe across the diamond on a fielder's choice. Kali Tomlinson loaded the bases with a base knock to center. With the bases-juiced, Jillian Noel put the Mustangs on the board with poke into right field. || UT 6, SMSU 1

BOT 6TH | Tampa's pinch-hitter, Miranda Perez, led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch. The freshman advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Corynn Miner. Galhouse singled to left field which moved Perez to third base. After Galhouse stole second, Alexa Russo smoked the offering up the middle for a two-run single. || UT 8, SMSU 1

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Sam Kaye, making her second start of the season, tossed her first complete game of the year. The left-hander struck out two, walked two and allowed one run on four hits. 
• Kailee Clark set a career-high with three hits in the contest. Additionally, the senior matched her career total with the fifth inning RBI.
• Cristina Clauberg logged her third multi-RBI output of the year. 
• Mariah Galhouse recorded her second consecutive multi-hit game, her third in the last five games. 

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Galhouse has registered at least one hit in 12 of the last 13 games, including a six-game hitting streak. 
• The Spartans snapped a three-game losing streak with the seven-run victory. 

UP NEXT: The Spartans welcome Rollins College to Naimoli Family Stadium on Friday night, 6:00 p.m., for an important weekend conference series as the Tars sit atop the Sunshine State Conference. 

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