FORT WORTH, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University softball team (3-2) finished the Cowtown Classic with a 12-1 drumming of McPherson College (0-5), followed by an 8-5 loss to Tabor College (2-3), and capped off with a 4-0 win over #18 University of Houston-Victoria (5-4) at Gateway Park on Saturday.
 
The Lady Rams started the day off strong in the top of the first inning against McPherson College. The scoring started on an error by the Bulldog shortstop with two on base. Kendall Kizer put the ball in play and the Bulldogs could control the ball as Kayla Prachyl and Amber Tucker crossed the plate for an early 2-0 lead. Chelsea Anderson kept the rally going with a double, and Amber Marlett followed suit with a two RBI double. Texas Wesleyan put a four spot on their opponent when the dust settled.
 
The Lady Rams struck again with a six hit four run third inning. Marlett started with her second double of the game.  Azia Azarcon hit a single to drive in a run, followed by a Lauren Gunter RBI double. Haley Neil singled to put runners on the corners, and head coach Shannon Gower successfully called a double steal play to plate another run. Prachyl ended the rally with a RBI single to take a commanding 8-1 lead.
 
Texas Wesleyan let the bats fly again in the fifth inning. Tucker knocked in a pair of runs with a base hit, later scoring herself on a passed ball. Anderson hit a sacrifice to center field that scored a run and the Lady Rams would go on the take the game 12-1 in five innings.
 
In the second game against Tabor College, the Rams found another early lead. Prachyl and Tucker tallied hits to set up a two out, two RBI, double by Marlett for a 2-0 advantage over the Blue Jays.
 
Tabor evened the game in the bottom of the third inning, by taking advantage of some strike zone issues. Chelsea Nutt and Kellyn Holt tallied base hits, followed by two consecutive walks that scored a run. Lauren Massey hit a gound out RBI to tie the game, 2-2.   
 
Wesleyan answered in the fourth inning starting with a Lauren Gunter RBI triple. Gunter would score on the next play due to a Blue Jay error, and the Lady Rams regained the lead, 4-2.
 
Tabor got a run back in the bottom half of the inning on a RBI single by Yasnaya Susoeff to cut the lead to 4-3. The Lady Rams got into some trouble in the fifth, committing a pair of errors that allowed three runs to cross and Tabor took a 6-4 advantage.
 
TWU got a run back the in the sixth inning on a Neill sacrifice RBI to keep the Rams within striking distance at 6-5. The Blue Jays posted a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning and Tabor was able to take the game 8-5.
 
In the final game of the day, the Lady Rams took on 18th ranked University of Houston-Victoria and once again Wesleyan gained an early advantage. Tucker earned a base hit before Anderson drew a walk. That set up a Marlett double that scored both runners to a 2-0 lead. Corrina Palomino got on the stat line with a double before Prachyl drove in the Wesleyan shortstop on a base knock to make it a 3-0 game.
 
The Rams added an insurance run in the seventh inning. A Palomina led off with a base on balls, and Prachyl moved the runner on a groundout. Tucker sliced a base hit to put runners on the corners for Kizer. The Wesleyan infielder hit a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Lady Rams a 4-0 cushion.  Marlett and the Rams shut down the Jaguars to complete the shutout win.
 
Marlett earned her second win of the young season with the shutout of Houston-Victoria she tossed seven innings, scattered four hits, walked four, and fanned 11 batters. She went 4 for 8 on the day with six RBI as well. Tucker went 7 for 12 with a pair of RBI and four runs scored.
 
The Lady Rams will play in the Mansfield North Texas Softball Bash starting with a game against Cameron University on Friday, February 20 at 2:00 pm, followed by a meeting with Lubbock Christian University at 4:00 pm.