With the warm welcome of Texas spring weather, the Pirates marched onto the field to defend their home turf. Starting the series on Friday, April 5, the Pirates took on the Centenary Ladies at the Taylor-Sanders Field.

Even though the Ladies managed to score two quick runs in the first inning of the first game, the Pirates took over and shook the game. Over the next three innings, J. Glenn-Millhouse, Briscoe, #1 Mazlyn Heyer, #14 Calle Collier, Aldrete, and #2 Daniella Clark all scored one run each, with #4 Brooke Yanta scoring two runs. Despite the Ladies’s best efforts, they were only able to bring back the game to an 8-5 Pirate victory.

During the second game, despite being down three runs early in the first inning, the Pirates came back, swinging for revenge. J. Glenn-Milhouse, #11 Hailey Briscoe, and #23 Victoria Jackson-Sears scored on their respective offensive plays to tie out the game. For the next three innings, both teams stalemated each other with both great pitching and fielding. However, the Ladies took the Pirate defense by storm, managing to score five runs over the next two innings. In attempt to save the game, #29 Hailey Arrington, Briscoe, and J. Glenn-Milhouse brought the score to a 1-run game. Unfortunately, the Ladies sealed game 2 with another run, with a final score of 7-9.

Tied, the Pirates immediately took control of the third game, with #9 Erica Otto and #3 Jodie Glenn-Millhouse scoring two runs on the same play of the first inning. While #6 Ashtyn Aldrete was caught stealing in the 3rd inning, Otto managed to earn another run on the pitch. Two innings later, Otto scored her 3rd run of the game after a double by #12 Samantha Saenz. To finish off the game, #10 Riley Glenn-Millhouse brought the game to 5-1 after a pop-up into outfield by #28 Meghan McCarthy. 

Outside of their overall team performance, the Pirates had many individual highlights. The first-year star pitcher #20 Sophia Ytuarte only allowed 20 hits, six runs, and created nine strikeouts across Games 1 and 3. Otto, in addition to her total of four runs across the series, made a two RBI home run during Game 2. Meanwhile, J Glenn-Millhouse achieved a triple in Game 2 and also stole a second base during Game 3. Also during Game 3, Jackson-S batted in three RBI’s.

Throughout the game, #20 Ytuarte’s influence and game presence was the deciding factor. After being named the SCAC Pitcher of the Week the prior week, she continued to shutdown her opponents in this series. Her impressive WHIP (a pitcher performance statistic, with a lower value indicating a better rating) score of 1.14 is a key indicator of her dominance and subsequent success against seizing the Ladies’s batting.

After facing the University of Dallas Crusaders on April 19-20, the Pirates will return home to play their last regular season game against the Austin College Kangaroos on April 26-27. As of April 18, the Pirates stand at an overall 10-24, with a 7-8 score in the conference.