Box Score



FARMER’S BRANCH, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University softball team (25-17) outlasted Our Lady of the Lake University (27-18) 2-1 in nine innings on Friday to advance to the RRAC Conference Championship for the third consecutive year.
 
It was a pitcher’s duel for most of the game as Maegan Ramirez scattered only three hits here and there over five innings and never gave up more than one hit in an inning. Her counterpart, Alexis Beltran did her one better. Beltran no hit the Lady Saints through four and two thirds, only walking two batters in that period.
 
The Saints put two on with two out in the bottom of the fifth on a single and a walk to bring up the top of the lineup. Brittany Stone came through with big two out single to left to break the scoreless tie to take a 1-0 lead
 
The Lady Rams answered in the next half inning. Raven Moreno led off the inning taking first on a hit by pitch. Marissa Rangel moved her into scoring position with a single into center field. Ashleigh Jiminez brought Moreno home with a RBI single into right center to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Our Lady of the Lake got the go ahead run on base in the bottom of the sixth with a single by Kailyn Miller. She moved in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and moved to third on a pass ball with two away, but were denied the lead on a 6-3 play to end the inning.
 
The Lady Saints threatened to end the game in the bottom of the seventh with back to back singles with two outs to put runners on second and third. The Saints’ Kim Briseno hit a line drive shot but right to Moreno at short to send the game into extra innings.
 
Hopie Perez in her first at bat in months drew a ten pitch at bat that ended in a single into left field to put the go ahead run on base with one away in the eighth.  Rangel was hit by a pitch to put the Lady Rams in scoring position with one out. The Lady Saints tightened up and got out of the inning with two infield pop ups.
 
The Lady Rams threatened again in the top of the ninth, with Courtney Orebaugh reaching on an error, and Kali Jester hitting a single behind her to put runners on third and second with no outs. Christina Kelley displayed good situational hitting with a sacrifice fly to deep center to score Orebaugh and take a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
 
The Lady Saints got a runner on base on an error in the bottom of the ninth with one away. A sacrifice bunt on the next play hung up long enough for a diving Beltran to snag and throw back to first on her stomach to catch the runner in a double play to end the game.
 
Beltran, (17-6) threw all nine for the Lady Rams. She allowed a run on five hits, walked four and struck out four.
 
Jimenez went 2 for 4 with a RBI and Kelley went 1 for 2 with a RBI in the win.
 
Texas Wesleyan will take on the winner of the Northwood Langston game in the conference championship tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. at Oran Good Park.