Softball Claims Game 1 Opener After Bilbao’s Walk-Off In Extra Innings

Julia Bilbao hit a walk-off RBI single to center in the bottom of the eighth as Texas Southern beat Southern, 5-4, Friday at Memorial Park.

The Tigers (16-17, 13-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference) improved to 8-2 in home games, and maintained a three-game lead atop the SWAC West Division standings. TSU will meet Southern (10-25, 8-8) for a doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday.

Bilbao went 2-for-5 with the game-winning RBI. Her first-inning double led to the game’s first run. Daryn Haslam’s sacrifice fly brought her home.

Southern tied the game in the second on Julia York’s RBI single down the left field line. The Jaguars added two more in the third on Mariyah Sandoval’s single to center to make it a two-run game.

TSU knotted it back up in the fourth when Tevanae Tate crushed a two-run blast to right. Tamera McKnight belted a solo shot to left-center on a 2-2 count to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead.

Southern responded again in the seventh on Alana Mark’s solo homer to center, knotting it at 4-4.

After Tigers reliever Nora Rodriguez retired the Jaguars in the eighth, the Tigers drew a pair of walks in the bottom half of the inning before Bilbao drove in the winning run.

McKnight was 1-for-2 with two walks, and was hit by a pitch. Tate was 1-for-1 with two walks. Mila Rodriguez went 1-for-4. Jordan McClain was 1-for-3 with a stolen base.

Nora Rodriguez (3-2) got the win in relief. She went three innings, allowing a run, a walk and two hits. Starter Tierrah Williams worked the first five innings, allowing eight hits, three runs and two walks. York (4-7) took the loss, allowing five runs, six hits and seven walks.

Texas Southern improved to 3-1 against Southern this season.