St. Thomas softball split their opening day at the Lion Classic in Commerce, Texas, falling 3-0 to SIUE before defeating North Texas 8-3. The Tommies’ record now stands at 8-4 for the season.
In the first game, St. Thomas was shut out by SIUE, marking the second consecutive week they have failed to score in a weekend opener. Pitcher Ava Kleinfeldt kept the contest close early, with both teams scoreless through three innings. SIUE broke through in the fourth inning with two runs on four straight hits and added another run in the fifth after a hit-by-pitch led to a sequence of singles. Kleinfeldt completed all seven innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and striking out eight batters.
The Tommies managed five hits but were unable to convert opportunities into runs, including a leadoff triple by Avery Wukawitz in the first inning and a double from Kameron Monson in the second. Laken Lienhard drew St. Thomas’s only walk of the game.
Neither team committed an error during game one.
In their second matchup of the day against North Texas, St. Thomas’s offense rebounded quickly, scoring seven runs over the first two innings. Ella Cook played a key role both offensively and as pitcher. She hit her third home run of the season in the first inning, driving in Wukawitz and Lienhard. Monson contributed another double to bring home Cassidy Carby following a walk.
Cook also pitched into trouble early but escaped a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the first without giving up any runs. In total, she pitched just over four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits while walking six and striking out six batters before being relieved by Mya Tautges.
Additional offense came from Carby’s two-out single that brought home Kyllie Weingart and Wukawitz, followed by Abbi Stierlen’s RBI that extended their lead further.
Tautges finished out the final three innings for St. Thomas, surrendering one run on five hits while earning a save.
Lienhard, Cook, Monson, and Morgan Klein each collected two hits during game two; Lienhard and Wukawitz both scored twice as well.
The Tommies will continue play tomorrow with games scheduled against Southern and East Texas A&M Lions at 9:00 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., respectively.
For updates about St. Thomas softball throughout their season, fans can follow @TommieSoftball on Instagram or X (formerly Twitter).
