AUSTIN, Texas – The morning gloom gave way to a bright afternoon in the heart of Texas for the Lipscomb Lady Bisons.

After losing to host Texas 12-0 in 4 1/2 innings to start the Texas Invitational at McCombs Field Friday, the Lady Bisons rebounded to shut down Duke 2-0.

Texas, No. 4 in the country, is 12-0 this season. Duke falls to 9-2. Lipscomb is 6-4.

A statement by Lipscomb senior shortstop Peyton Ward set the tone for the Duke game.

“I challenged them and then Peyton said, ‘we have to take pride in who we play for, who we are and what we do’,” Lipscomb coach Kristin Ryman said. “That was a big win for us.”

In the fifth Presley Leebrick walked and Abby Davis entered the game as a pinch-runner. Amy Vetula singled to right center to send Davis to third. Hannah DeVault walked to load the bases. With two out Kamrie Rich singled to shortstop to drive in Davis. Vetula scored on the play on a throwing error by the shortstop.

Davis scored what proved to be the winning run, but her play in the outfield after entering the game in the fifth inning, is one of the main reasons the lead stood up.

“Abby made three big time plays for us in the late innings,” Ryman said. “She caught one ball against the wall, caught another in the gap and then made a diving catch. All three would have been hits, two or maybe all three would have been extra base hits.

“She took away those hits. If she hadn’t it could have been a very different outcome.”

Megan Gray, 4-0, pitched her second shutout and fourth complete game of the season. She scattered seven hits, struck out six and walked four.

“Megan was phenomenal,” Ryman said. “It was a very gutsy type of performance. She threw a lot of pitches, but she was not going to give in. We needed that kind of grit.”

Brianna Butler, 2-1, started for Duke and took the loss. She allowed two runs, one earned, four hits and two walks. She struck out one batter.

Peyton St. George closed out the game for Duke. In 2.2 innings she gave up one hit, walked two and struck out four.

Fast start for Texas

Texas jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and added five more in the third. They brought in two more runs in the fourth. Lipscomb managed only one hit, a first inning single by Hannah DeVault.

“Texas does so many things so well,” Ryman said. “For anyone to beat them you have to play very clean softball.

“We made several mistakes right off the bat. We shot ourselves in the foot. It is tough to dig out of a hole like that against a team of that caliber.”

AROUND THE BASES

• Vetula, with two singles against Duke, leads the team with four multi-hit games.
• Peyton Ward stole a base in the Texas game.
• Davis and Vetula each stole a base in the fifth inning in the Duke game.
• Peyton Ward did not reach base in the Duke game ending her team-high streak for reaching base at six.
• This was the first meeting between Lipscomb and Duke in softball.
• Katie Turner was the losing pitcher in the Texas game.

UP NEXT

The Texas Invitational continues Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday the Lady Bisons open the day with Weber State at 11:30 a.m. They face a rematch with Texas at 5.

Sunday Lipscomb plays North Dakota State at 10 a.m.