Doyle's blast not enough for SAGU

Langston takes pair at the WSC

Southwestern to host HT today at 4:00pm

WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- Southwestern Assemblies of God University’s home debut, like wins in this first-ever season, have proven elusive.

Originally to be played on the new campus field as the team’s home debut, it was moved to the Waxahachie Sports Complex across town instead. Overnight, the sprinkler system proved to work well. Too well. Flooding the field with extra hours of water forced the relocation of the doubleheader.

SAGU has endured a number of delays this season, most of them weather-related, causing their first 15 games to be played out-of-town.

Langston University broke open a close first game by taking advantage of errors to post a 10-1 triumph, then a repeat of the same led them to an 11-3 victory in the second game.

The Purple Pride gave a great effort, which included a huge two-run homer to centerfield by Chelsey Doyle (Seattle, Wa / Shorecrest HS), the first in team history, but defensive breakdowns led to both setbacks.

Langston also stole 18 bases in the two games, which kept SAGU on their heels. They outhit the hosts 11-6 in Game One and 15-4 in Game Two.

Southwestern dropped to 1-16 overall and 0-14 in the Red River Athletic Conference. Langston improved their ledger to 12-9 in all games. They are 9-9 against league foes. It was their fourth win in a row and fifth time to reach double-figures, four against SAGU.

Quinton Morgan, Langston’s head coach, said SAGU had improved a lot since they played twice on February 25. They took both ends of a twinbill that day, 11-1 and 18-1.

The first game was tied 1-1 until the fourth, when Langston scored on a single to take a 2-1 lead. In the fifth the guests scored four runs and put the game away with another 4-spot in the sixth. Two of their first four runs came home on SAGU wild pitches.

They opened the second game with six runs in the first inning. Southwestern answered with three, two coming when Doyle unloaded to deep center.

SAGU committed few errors in the doubleheader, though mental miscues proved more costly.

The Lady Lions made several memorable ‘wed gems,’ including: Second baseman Theresa Ballard (Austin, Tx / Homeschool) turned a double play in the second game. Kasey Poovey (Nevada, Tx / Community HS) snared a sizzling line-drive down the rightfield line.

A tag-out at the plate by Kyla Burke (Red Oak, Tx / Red Oak HS) and a fine catch in right by Kelsea Svochak (Ft. Worth, Tx / Bethesda Christian HS) helped preserve runs.

Lauren Johnson (Waxahachie, Tx / Waxaahchie HS), a freshman righthander, took the loss in the opener, though she left with a runner on in the fourth when SAGU trailed just 2-1.

Shannen Davis (Kremlin, Ok / Kremlin-Hillsdale HS) started the nightcap and was tagged with the loss.

Southwestern had to play without both Cassy Mata (Crystal City, Tx / Crystal City HS) and Jessica Smith (Houston, Tx / La Porte HS), due to injuries.

Mata is officially out for the remainder of the season.

Svochak departed during the second game after bowling into the Langston shortstop during a slide at second.

Southwestern will play host to Huston-Tillotson University (5-20, 3-6 in RRAC) in a three-game series that starts with a 4:00pm solo contest on Friday. The trio of games are expected to be played at the new, on-campus diamond.

There will be a special pre-game ceremony to dedicate the team’s new ballfield at 3:45pm. Southwestern’s President, Dr. Kermit Bridges, will throw out the game’s first pitch.

The Lions and Rams will play twice on Saturday, March 31, also on campus. The first game starts at noon.

For complete standings, updated schedule and results for SAGU and the RRAC, visit redriverconference.org website.

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

Fans can view and/or purchase a list of photos from the game (including those in this article) taken by Steve Patterson. Go to http://www.movingpictures.photoreflect.com.