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FORT WORTH, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University softball team (2-1) took an 8-2 loss to Belhaven University (2-0), before winning 5-3 against the University of the Incarnate Word (3-1) and 1-0 over Oklahoma Wesleyan University (0-3) on the first day of the Cowtown Classic at Gateway Park on Friday.   
 
The Lady Rams played a top ten team in #9 Belhaven University and a NCAA Division I opponent in the University of the Incarnate Word in their first two games of the season.
 
Belhaven wasted no time in the first game of the day, scoring on a Denee Crawford RBI single for an early lead. Wesleyan tied the game in the second inning on a throwing error. Crawford tallied another RBI to make it a 2-1 game, but the Lady Rams held their own and tied the game again in the bottom half of the same inning. Amber Tucker notched a base hit down the right field line to start things off. Kendall Kizer followed with a liner to left center for a RBI double to make it a 2-2 game.
 
Belhaven got the better of the Lady Rams in the next few innings, scoring three in the fourth, and three more runs in as many innings for an 8-2 win.
 
In the contest against the University of the Incarnate Word, the Lady Rams limited the Cardinals to only one run in the second inning after a walk loaded the bases with one away in the inning. A fielder's choice play scored the first run of the game for a 1-0 lead.          
 
The Lady Rams got hot in the top of the fourth, starting with a Kizer single up the middle. Chelsea Anderson ripped a shot to the center field fence to put runners in scoring position for Kali Jester to knock double into left center for two runs to take the lead. Lauren Davis added a single to make way for a Kylie Sumners RBI single over shortstop for a 3-1 advantage.
 
The Cardinals tied the game three apiece on a two RBI double by Christy Trevino in the bottom half of the fourth inning.
 
Texas Wesleyan put a two run cushion on the Incarnate Word in the sixth that started with a Davis double. Dani West sparked a two out rally, after the wind played havoc on what would have been an easy pop out to the short stop that ended in a base hit, Meagen Alvarez hit a blooper to shallow left field that bounced out of the glove of a diving Taylor Johnson for a 5-3 lead.
 
The Rams shut down the Cardinals in the seventh to pick up a win against a NCAA Division I school. Amanda Windham (1-0) notched the win. She threw seven innings, allowed seven hits on three runs, all earned. She had five walks and two strikeouts.
 
After the exciting finish against Incarnate Word, the final game of the day versus Oklahoma Wesleyan proved to be quiet in the first three innings with no score. The Lady Rams threatened in the bottom of the third with runners in the scoring position, but nothing doing. Each team fought to keep the 30 plus MPH wind gusts out of their eyes and interrupting concentration, which could have been a factor in the lack of scoring.
 
Another two and a half innings came and went with the same result as the pitcher's duel continued. Both offenses could only produce easy pop ups and grounders to combat the solid pitching from Amber Marlett and Jenna Daniel.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Eagles made a strange pitching change, bringing in Selena Lopez after Daniel retired 10 consecutive Lady Rams. Alvarez got a base hit just passed second base, and made her way around to third during the next at bat displaying smart base running. Anderson blooped a shot into shallow left that turned into a fielder's choice with Kizer out on the play, but Alvarez trotted in to home plate for the first run of the game and a 1-0 Wesleyan lead heading into the final inning.
 
The Eagles got a runner on base in the seventh but Marlett and the Lady Rams got the win on one run and only hits in the contest. Marlett (1-0) picked up the shutout win tossing all seven innings, allowing only three hits to go along with one ball and four strikeouts.
 
The Lady Rams will continue in day two of the classic tomorrow with games against Doane College at 9:00 am and Graceland at 11:00 am.