By RANGER ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
Northwestern Oklahoma State softball started its 2018 season off in the North Texas Softball Bash against Colorado Christian and Texas Permian Basin and took two losses on the day in games of 6-1 and 10-1.
The bats weren’t quite able to get going on the opening day of the tournament as the Rangers were only allowed six total hits in both games combined. Two of the hits came from the bat of Madison McGraw, both in the second game.
Both teams came out a bit flat offensively as it wasn’t until the second inning that either team scored a run and it just so happened to be the Rangers on an error by the first baseman.
Katie Bell was able to reach first on a walk and just a batter later, was back in the dugout after scoring the opening run of the contest.
Madison Garza and the host of pitchers of Colorado Christian dialed it in following the score for Northwestern, but the sixth inning would be the ultimate undoing for the Black-and-Red.
While working with a two-out inning, Garza seemed to be well on her way to getting out of the inning, but that wouldn’t be the case as there were two hits and three errors by the Rangers that led to the big inning for the Cougars.
As the bats remained cold for Northwestern and going down without a run in the sixth, CCU was able to add three more insurance runs in their half of the seventh inning, making it a five-run advantage for the Cougars.
The Rangers proceeded to go down in order in the seventh to end the game in Colorado Christian’s favor.
The second game of the day started out similar to the first as Northwestern was first to strike again, going up 1-0, but this time there were three hits on the Ranger side.It didn’t take long for the Falcons of Texas-Permian Basin to take the lead away, tying it up at 1-1 on a Ranger error in the second.
The Rangers were held scoreless in the second and third innings, but the Falcons went on the offensive for the second straight inning as they posted eight runs on the Black-and-Red.
UTPB got the bats rolling in a big way in the third inning as they lit up the scoreboard with eight hits as well as runs, putting Northwestern in an eight-run hole going into the top of the fourth.
Northwestern looked like they were going to take on a comeback of their own, getting two of their first three batters on base, but a smoked ball by Peyton Garrett was caught over the wall to thwart the threat, leaving the Falcons with a still sizable lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Permian Basin tacked on another run to make it 10-1 contest while the Rangers went scoreless once again in the top of the fifth, leading to the 10-1 loss.
Due to bad weather the Saturday games were cancelled in Mesquite, Texas. The Lady Rangers next games will be at Arkansas Tech University on Feb. 23 and 24.