By: Justin Hargrove, Assistant Athletic Director
Northeast Texas Community College Softball finished off January with a road trip to San Antonio, Texas for the Alamo City Junior College Showcase tournament. In game one Friday NTCC picked up win number one of the season against Southern Arkansas Tech with a 5-1 victory.
Averie Ayers (Mt. Pleasant HS) picked up her first win of the season in game one of the tournament. Despite a leadoff walk that would score, that would be the only run SAU Tech would garner in the game. Ayers would strike out three while only giving up two hits in the contest. Ground balls were her friend, with nine ground ball outs to help her cause.
After a slow start offensively, the Eagle bats came alive in the fifth inning with eleven Eagle batters coming to the plate. Ayers helped her cause with a lead off home run that would spark a five run inning including two more home runs. Emma Farquhar (Hooks HS) and Pearl Perry (Hughes Springs HS) would join Ayers with the deep ball to put the game away.
In game two action, the Eagles fell by a score of 14-8 to Coastal Bend College. Emily Cole (Paul Pewitt HS) would be in the circle for game two of the tournament. Cole would pick up 2 more strike outs on the season in the game, but the offensive attack from Coastal Bend would prove too much for NTCC despite scoring 8 runs to help her cause.
The Long ball continues to be the friend of the Eagle offense with three more homeruns hit in game 2. Tasha Pierce went deep in the third inning and Lauren Isbell (Burleson HS) and Peal Perry went back to back in the 5th to try to cut into the Coastal Bend lead. Isbell would score three times in the contest, she was two for two with a single, homerun and two walks with three runs scored to lead the Eagle offensive attack.
Saturday, NTCC would match up with San Jacinto Community College in the final matchup of the tournament. San Jac would narrowly escape with a 10-9 win over NTCC.
Averie Ayers was once again on the mound for NTCC and went the distance in the close contest. Kadi Downs (Foreman HS) and Tasha Pierce (Hudson HS) would lead the offensive efforts in the final game, with Downs going three for three with a walk and two runs scored. Pierce hit her first collegiate homerun going one for two at the plate with two more walks and three runs scored for the Eagles.
NTCC will hit the road once more on February 3, heading to Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas before the home opener Saturday, February 6 at 1:00pm vs Cisco College.
