Diamond 'Cats drop pair to Langston

SAGU starts fast in twinbill

Davis gives a standout performance

LANGSTON, Oklahoma -- The Southwestern Assemblies of God University women’s softball team, playing in their first season of existence, scored two runs in a doubleheader on Saturday, taking the lead with both in a pair of losses to Langston University.

The Lady Lions took a 1-0 lead in each of two games against their counterpart Langston Lady Lions, who used two big innings to decide the outcome in 11-1 and 18-1 verdicts. Langston smacked four home runs in their home opener.

SAGU, who played shorthanded due to key injuries, dropped to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the Red River Athletic Conference. Young, the Southwestern ‘Diamond Cats’ have scored in all but one game this year.

Playing in this north-central town, some 247 miles north of Waxahachie, Southwestern wasted little time in pushing across the first run in each contest.

Theresa Ballard (Austin, Tx / Homeschool) lined a single to left-centerfield to leadoff the first. After Kyla Burke (Red Oak Tx / Red Oak HS) walked, the two advanced a base on a passed ball. Chelsey Doyle (Seattle, Wash / Shorecrest HS), the loquacious third baseman, ripped a hot grounder that allowed the third baseman only a throw to first as Burke jetted home.

The Purple Pride had one other base hit, a single beyond the reach of the second baseman off the bat of Jessica Smith (Houston, Tx / LaPorte HS), SAGU’s shortstop.

Langston replied with a nine-spot in their half of the first to take control of the game.

Starting right-hander Kelsea Svochak (Ft. Worth, Tx / Bethesda Christian) was lifted after injuring her back during that inning. Shannen Davis (Kremlin, Ok / Kremlin-Hillsdale HS) pitched well in relief, allowing only two runs the rest of the way.

In the nightcap, SAGU got off to an electrifying start! Kasey Poovey (Nevada, Tx / Community HS) sent the game’s first pitch deep into the gap between center and right and zoomed into third with a stand-up triple. Davis followed with a liner over the Langston shortstop for an RBI single.

Team Purp added two more hits, including a Davis double to left-center and an infield single by the speedy Cassandra Matta (Crystal City, Tx / Crystal City HS).

Tabitha Ray (Brazoria, Tx / Homeschool) pitched the first three innings, allowing seven in the third for as Langston led 11-1. Davis tossed the remaining innings.

SAGU played without starting pitcher Lauren Johnson (Waxahachie, Tx / Waxahachie HS), who was sidelined with a back ailment. Besides Svochak (pronounced SWO-chak), the team also had two others suffer injuries. Matta hurt her leg while Iliana Jimenez (Crystal City, Tx / Crystal City HS) was injured when she was hit in the ribs with a pitch.

Lady Lions are coming home, March 2-3

The Lady Lions are idle until next weekend when they make their much anticipated home debut. Texas College comes to town for a three-game homestand that will start with a 3:00pm game on Friday at the team’s new campus ballpark.

SAGU will host the Lady Steers again the next day, March 3, in a noon doubleheader.

Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.