Courtesy W. Alan Widerhold      FARMERS BRANCH, Texas – The Texas-Tyler Patriots claimed their second American Southwest Conference softball championship in four years by defeating East Division rival Louisiana College 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at Oran Good Park.

Heather Abshire pitched a five-hit shutout to clinch the championship for the Patriots. The junior from Alexandria, La., struck out one batter and walked two.

Ashlee Johnson knocked home the lone run with an RBI groundout that scored Kellen Gomez in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gomez was pinch-running for Ashley Endsley, who led off the fifth inning with a single.

Endsley's base hit ended a streak of 10 consecutive batters retired by Louisiana College pitcher Rudi Aycock. Aycock pitched six innings and yielded only four hits.

Locked in a tight game, UT-Tyler's fielding, and in particular its infield, kept the Wildcats from taking advantage of their baserunners. LC stranded seven runners on the basepaths.

“I thought we had our best defensive weekend during the tournament, and we definitely played our best defensive game today,” Texas-Tyler head coach Mike Reed said.

Abshire was named the ASC Tournament MVP after going 2-0 and tossing two complete games with a 1.17 ERA.

The Patriots, who also won the event in 2009, clinch the ASC's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

UT Tyler is one of eight Division III schools that will host a regional tournament leading up to the NCAA Division III Softball Finals.  

 

 

ASC Softball All-Tournament Team

 

Heather Abshire, RHP, Jr., Texas-Tyler (Most Valuable Player)
Chelsea Allen, OF, So., Louisiana College
Ashton Brey, OF, Sr., East Texas Baptist
Meggie Burkett, OF, Jr., Louisiana College
Allison Burton, DP, Sr., East Texas Baptist
Emily Douglas, 1B, Jr., Louisiana College
Ashley Endsley, 3B, Jr., Texas-Tyler
Ashlee Johnson, SS, Sr., Texas-Tyler
Amy Meyer, SS, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
Katie Poerner, OF, Jr., Howard Payne
Rebekah Ragsdale, RHP, So., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Katelyn Thomason, OF/RHP, Sr., Texas-Tyler
Hannah White, RHP/DP, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor