By RANGERS ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
The Northwestern Oklahoma State softball team concluded play in the North Texas Softball Bash on Sunday afternoon in Grand Prairie, Texas. The Rangers were bested in both games, first by Texas Woman’s University by a final of 5-7 and then by Tarleton State University 1-8.
Greeley, Colorado native Brittany Corrales continued her hot streak at the plate by going 3-for-7 from the plate in the lead-off spot in the lineup with two runs and two RBI’s on the day. Corrales’ batting average now stands at .414 and leads the team with 12 hits.
Junior Peyton Garrett also had a productive day at the dish going 4-for-6 throughout the afternoon including a 3-for-3 performance in the first game against Texas Women’s. Garrett scored two runs for the Rangers and has risen her season average up from .125 to .313 after her play this weekend.
The Ranger hurlers struggled during the day’s competition, but did have some moments that will give head coach Charlie Zeilman some positives to key on during the final week’s preparations before conference play begins.
Junior Madison Garza got the ball to start off the day and left the game after going three innings allowing nine hits and four runs. As she has done all season however, Garza continued to put the pressure on opposing batters by only allowing one walk during her three innings of work.
Freshman Kendall Jones came in for relief in both games and pitched a total of 3.1 innings allowing five hits and three earned runs during her appearance in the circle.
Game One
Fresh off of a solid day of softball on Saturday that included a 6-3 victory over Texas A&M- Kingsville, Northwestern got off to a fast start in the first inning with a sacrifice fly from junior Madi Parrott that brought Corrales home on the throw home.
Texas Woman’s University answered quickly in the bottom half of the inning with a bases loaded fielder’s choice RBI that scored a runner. A single two batters later would drive two more runners home before Garza finally got out of the jam with a strikeout.
The early runs would continue as Corrales continued to make an immediate impact to the line-up with a double to left field that scored Garrett and second basemen Amber Mills following a throwing error for the Pioneers. That 3-3 tie would remain until the fourth inning where the Rangers sluggers would strike again with another two-RBI double, this time from shortstop Jordan Sutton, scoring Corrales and Garrett.
In the bottom half of that inning, Garza would find herself in another jam thanks to a bunt single from the Pioneers setting up an RBI double that brought the contest to 5-4. A hit batter forced coach Zeilman to bring in Jones in relief, who was helped out thanks to a double play ball that ended the inning with the Rangers still ahead by a run.
A 1-2-3 top half of the fifth the middle of the Rangers line-up allowed the Pioneers to tie up the ball game once again on a wild pitch. Jones once again escaped the inning with minimal damage thanks to a strike out to head to the sixth inning. Northwestern nearly took the lead in the top half of the inning, but transfer pinch runner Katie Bell was thrown out at the plate after a single back to the pitcher.
The Pioneers would finally jump ahead in the bottom half of the inning after Jones was replaced by sophomore Jalena Arthur following a lead-off double that put Texas Woman’s University in scoring position. A sacrifice fly to right field moved the runner over to third and then a single to the opposite side of the field brought the runner home to take a 6-5 advantage.
Another RBI single moved the score to 7-5, and the Rangers were unable to capitalize on a lead-off double by Madi Parrott, sealing their fate.
Game Two
In the second game, Tarleton State jumped on Northwestern early with three runs in the opening inning. With Murray on the mound, two Ranger errors allowed the first run to cross the plate after a sacrifice fly. A single to right center scored an unearned run and then a triple to deep right brought the other Aggie runner home, making the score 3-0 after one inning of play.
Northwestern failed to manufacture runs after two lead off hits in back-to-back innings from Corrales and catcher Audrey Estes. Tarleton padded their lead with two more runs in both the third and fourth innings. Bell finally got a run on the board for the Rangers in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the damage was already done as the Aggies out hit the Rangers 10-to-4 throughout the game and enjoyed a complete game from their starter Haley Freyman.
The Rangers find themselves with a record of 3-9 after their two pre-conference tournaments. Northwestern softball will get a weekend off before welcoming No. 11 Arkansas Tech to Alva on Feb. 24-25. The Golden Suns were selected second in the Great American Conference Pre-Season Poll and have faced some elite competition to start off the season in two separate regional tournaments to start the year.