TUCSON, AZ: The Texas Wesleyan University softball team (6-8) dropped a 13-1 game against Jamestown College (9-7), before falling in a 13-8 shootout to Dordt College (4-12) in the first day of the Tucson Invitational. The Lady Rams then took a 9-1 loss to St. Francis (9-3) before rocking Olivet Nazarene (11-6) 9-1 to cap the second day of the Tournament on Friday and Saturday.
The Lady Rams fell behind early in the game against Jamestown after the Jimmies got a four run first inning. Texas Wesleyan got run back in the bottom half of the first on a
Lauren Davis RBI single to make it a 4-1 game. Jamestown College took advantage of eight Lady Ram errors to hand Wesleyan a 13-1 loss in the first game of the tournament for.
Wesleyan took an early 1-0 lead over the Dordt College Defenders in the nightcap of the first day of the tourney with an
Amber Marlett two out RBI double. Dordt came right back and tied the game after some aggressive base running led to a run to tie the game at 1-1.
The Rams battled back in the second inning to regain the lead starting with a
Haley Neill single. An error led to runners on first and second first for
Amber Tucker. Tucker hit a single deep to the outfield to plate both runners and give the Rams a 3-1 lead. The Defenders had no shortage of offense as a shootout broke out in the Arizonan desert. Dordt took advantage of four hit inning, all singles, to drive in three runs to take slight 4-3 edge.
Not to be outdone, Texas Wesleyan fired back with a rally in the third inning. The Rams earned three consecutives base hits culminating in a
Lauren Davis bases loaded RBI single.
Dani West gave Wesleyan the lead on a RBI base knock, and
Kayla Prachyl extended the lead to 6-4 on a RBI groundout. Marlett made it a 7-4 game in the fourth inning after smashing a ball over the fence for a solo home run.
Dordt took a commanding lead with an eight run, seven hit rally in the fourth inning. The Defenders batted around and the rally was highlighted by an Ashton Beaird three run home run to help turn the game around to a 12-7 lead for Dordt College. The Lady Rams got a run back in the seventh on a Davis RBI double, but could not make a comeback falling 13-8.
In the game against St. Francis, the Saints exploded in the top of the first with a six run rally that was capped by a Caroline Roberts three run home run. The Lady Rams could only manufacture a run on a Saint fielding error that allowed Marlett to score, and Wesleyan took a 9-1 loss in five innings.
Texas Wesleyan faced off against Olivet Nazarene University in the final game of the second day of the tournament. The Lady Rams struck first, with a seven run, eight hit rally in the second inning. The Tigers gave up two errors to put two runners on to start the inning and the Rams capitalized. Davis drove in two runs on a base hit to start things off. Prachyl and Marlett each followed suit with two RBI singles.
Lauren Gunter capped the inning with a RBI single to give Wesleyan a 7-0 cushion early.
The Lady Rams earned three straight base hits to start the fifth which later led to a pair of RBI walks to extend the lead to a 9-1 advantage to take a run rule win against the Tigers.
Marlett went 7-9 with five RBI in the four games. Davis went 7-11 with four RBI in the two days.
The Lady Rams will end the tournament with a pair of games tomorrow. Wesleyan will play Valley City State University at 11:00 am before taking of Huntington University at 1:30 pm.
