Texas-Tyler advances to title game

UTT

Johnson

FARMERS BRANCH, Texas — Texas-Tyler won an eight-inning, 3-2 thriller against Louisiana College on Friday afternoon at Oran Good Park to advance to the 2012 American Southwest Conference Championship game.

The Patriots (35-7), now the only undefeated team in the tournament, will face the winner of Saturday’s morning’s elimination game.

Louisiana College looked poised to upset the Patriots, loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs, but LC’s Laura Gulotta-Parrish lined out to Ashley Endlsey at third to the threat and the game remained tied at 2-2.

The Patriots took advantage of the extra-inning opportunity as Ashlee Johnson plated Joey Cronin on an RBI single to go up 3-2. The defense then held the Lady Cats scoreless in the bottom of the eighth for the win.

An RBI from Heather Abshire and a solo homer from Rachel Howell accounted for the UT Tyler’s other scoring.

Katelyn Thomason threw the complete for the Patriots, giving up just one earned run and striking out four.

UT Tyler is making its third consecutive appearance in the ASC Championship game.