PORTLAND, Texas – The Texas Wesleyan University softball team (0-3) dropped three games on day one at the NAIA Tournament on the Beach on Friday. The Lady Rams were edged 1-0 by Huston-Tillotson (1-0) and 2-1 by York College (Kan.) (2-1) before taking a 9-0 loss of Our Lady of the Lake (3-3).   
 
In game one, the Lady Rams played solid in one that just slipped away. Huston-Tillotson got a double from Sabrina Salas in the second inning, setting up a two-out RBI single from Shelby Seaman to take the lead. That one run was all Texas Wesleyan would allow, but unfortunately it was the only run of the game.
 
TXWES had its best chance in the fourth, on a Mercedes Beltran single that nearly scored Tobi Bonifacio from second. The HTU defense turned the Rams away at the plate to preserve the lead. The Lady Rams got a runner to third in the final frame, but couldn't reach pay dirt in the season opener.
 
In game two, defense dominated again. York was content with playing small ball, getting runners in scoring position with the sacrifice bunt. The Lady Rams turned the Cougars away for five innings, but two out rally in the sixth plated a pair of runs to take a slight lead.
 
TXWES got a run back in the bottom of the sixth. Payton Davidson posted a lead-off single and stole second before an error brought the runner home to make it a 2-1 deficit.
 
The team got a Kaitlyn Johnson single in the seventh, but nothing came of it, dropping a closely contested 2-1 game to York.
 
In game three, the Saints grabbed a couple of runs in the second inning due to a TXWES mishap. It was tough sledding from there as OLLU put together a six-run inning in the third, adding one more in the fourth on the way to a run-rule win.
 
Jenna Rhoades paced the team going 4 for 8 on the day.
 
The team will look to rebound in day two, starting with a bout with Columbia College (Mo.) at 9 a.m. before concluding the tournament in a matchup with McPherson College at 1 p.m.