CHICKASHA, OK: The Texas Wesleyan University softball team (25-18, 13-11 SAC) were narrowly thwarted in a pair of one-run games by 23rd ranked University of Science & Arts (34-15, 19-7 SAC) at Bill Smith Park on Thursday. The Lady Rams dropped a 0-1 game one before the Drovers stole a 2-1 game in walk-off fashion.
In game one, the two teams played scoreless softball for six and a half innings as both pitchers were very sharp.
USAO threatened in the third, starting with a Kaylin Taylor lead-off with single. She was moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt in the next play. Taylor then advanced to third on a passed ball and the throw from the plate to third got away from the Lady Ram infield and into left. Taylor broke for home, but a pin-point throw from
Kayla Prachyl allowed
Lauren Gunter to make the tag out and keep the Drovers off the board.
The Drovers finally broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out, Tate Landmark RBI base hit.
Justine Cielenski was able to get out of the inning on a strikeout to limit the damage.
Although the Lady Rams out hit their opponent 4-3, the Drovers were able to squeak by with a 1-0 game one win.
Shelby Reddington and Cielenski each went 1 for 2, while Prachyl and
Dani Jackson each went 1 for 3 to account for the TXWES offense.
Cielenski (5-3) went six innings in the loss. She allowed just one run on three hits, walked four, and sat down four.
The two defenses went at it again in game two. This time, 22 runners were left stranded between the two teams.
TXWES got an early edge in the first inning that started with a
Dani Jackson base hit and steal of second.
Lauren Gunter got the run home with a single to give the Rams a 1-0 lead.
The Drovers put eight runners in scoring position, but time and time again were turned away by organized defense. The Lady Rams worked hard to get lead runner outs, and
Brittany Rosenberry got a timely punch out with a runner in scoring position in the fourth.
USAO got a third of their total hits in the final inning that proved to be the Rams undoing. The drovers tied the game on a Chloe Clifton double that also left the go-ahead run at third. Rosenberry caught Cassidy Bennett looking before Dagan Lampkin lifted a one-out, fly ball to deep left for a walk-off sacrifice RBI.
Rosenberry (7-7) suffered the loss behind 6.2 innings of solid pitching. She gave up two runs and scattered nine hits, worked her way through five walks, and sat down four in the loss.
Jackson was 3 for 4 with a run scored. Gunter went 2 for 4 with one RBI.
The Lad y Rams will make a quick trip home and get ready to host a double header with St. Gregory's University tomorrow, starting at 2:00 pm at Sycamore Park.
