Mary Ellen Leisering, Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations – Houston Baptist University
RUSTON, La. – HBU had home runs from Shay Orsak, Kirsten Schwirtlich, and Kay Schroeder and senior pitcher Kendall Stiefel did the rest, as the Huskies run-ruled host Louisiana Tech, 8-0 in five innings, to conclude the Lady Techster Invitational Sunday afternoon.
Stiefel tossed just the fifth perfect game in program history (the last being Rachel Werner in 2003), and the first no-hitter since Kristi Malpass performed the feat twice in 2008.
Stiefel faced 15 Lady Techsters this afternoon and struck out six. She had seven fly outs and two ground outs. She started the game striking out two of the three batters in the bottom of the first, and striking out the final batter of the game in the bottom of the fifth, as she earned her first win on the season, at 1-0.
Orsak led the offensive onslaught by going 2-for-2 with one RBI, two runs scored, and one homer. Six other Huskies each had a hit, while K. Schwirtlich had three RBI. Schroeder and Daniella Rodarte each had two RBI.
Bianca Duran started in the circle for Louisiana Tech and took the loss, as she pitched 1.0+ innings and allowed six hits, five runs (three earned), and one walk. Pauline Tufi relieved Duran and allowed two hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out four in 4.0 innings.
HBU set the tone with a five-run top of the first. After a leadoff single by Lauren Schwirtlich and a walk to Orsak, K. Schwirtlich made Duran pay with a three-run blast to left field. Rodarte concluded the scoring in the inning with a two-run single to left.
A solo home run by Orsak in the top of the fourth gave the Huskies a 6-0 lead. Schroeder’s two-run blast in the top of the fifth put the run rule in effect.
Orsak and Stiefel earned spots on the All-Tournament Team.
HBU (2-2) plays a single game at Texas State Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 6 pm, before competing in the Mardi Gras Classic in Monroe, La., Feb. 14-16.
