MANSFIELD, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University softball team (5-5) was thwarted by the weather and took a 10-5 loss to Clarke University (3-1) in the final day of the Mansfield North Texas Softball Bash on Sunday.
 
The Lady Rams braved the nasty weather and took an early lead over the Crusaders in the top of the first inning. Kayla Prachyl led things off with a base hit. Amber Tucker moved her into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Kendall Kizer moved the runner on a groundout and a Prachyl scored on a throwing error for a 1-0 advantage.
 
The Crusaders took the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a Sarah Crewes three-run home run to take the lead.
 
Texas Wesleyan got a run back in the second after Prachyl knocked in a run on a bases loaded RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2.
 
The Rams regained the lead third starting with a Lauren Gunter single. That brought Aizia Azarcon to the plate and the second baseman blasted a long shot over the fence for a two runs, giving Wesleyan a 4-3 edge.
 
The Crusaders immediately tied the game on a Jordan Albrecht home run to lead off the home half of the third. The Crusaders would go on score two more runs for a 7-4 lead.
 
The weather kept getting worse by the half inning, and team from Iowa handled the climate just slightly better than the Lady Rams, jumping out to a 9-4 advantage. Wesleyan tallied a three hit fifth inning that was capped by another Prachyl RBI base hit to gain a run back.
 
The game was called in the bottom of the fifth, and because Clarke was the home team and had the lead, the Crusaders got the 10-5 win in four and one half innings.
 
Prachyl led the Lady Rams with an outstanding 4 for 4 performance, adding two RBI and a run scored. Haley Neill went 2 for 3. Azarcon went 1 for 3 with a home run and two RBI.
 
The Lady Rams will begin conference play with a double header versus Southwestern Christian University on Friday, March 6 starting at 2:00 pm at Sycamore Park.