WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The Bulldogs suffered two late-game losses to the visiting Cotton Blossoms of Arkansas-Monticello in the first two games of the Great American Conference schedule. The games were moved to Weatherford after there were concerns about the weather in Monticello, Ark.
Game 1: UAM 8, SWOSU 7Box Score In the first game of the doubleheader, the Bulldogs found themselves on the board first.
Ashley Dunigan was the lead-off batter for the Bulldogs in the bottom of the first and reached first on a hit to fight field. After a bunt by
Miranda McDonald moved Dunigan to second, Martinez singled to right field and then advanced to second on a fielding error as Dunigan cross home plate.
Ashley Jones then continued where she left off in Durant, Okla., and singled up the middle, plating Martinez in the process.
Monticello pulled one back in the second, but it was the top of the third that would build a significant hole for the Bulldogs. The Cotton Blossoms hit a home run with two outs, before loading the bases with a pair of singles and walk. Kali Piha then stepped up to the plate and hit a grand slam to put UAM up 6-2.
Kaity Rash then hit a solo-bomb on a 2-2 count in the bottom of the fourth to pull the Bulldogs within three runs. UAM responded with a run in each of the next two innings, but were held scoreless in the top of the seventh. SWOSU entered the bottom of the seventh facing an 8-3 deficit.
Martinez was the lead-off in the bottom of the seventh and reached base after being hit by a pitch. Jones then singled to left field and advanced Martinez to second.
Maci Brown then stepped up to the plate and hit a three-run bomb to bring SWOSU within two runs.
Tori Hawk then hit a double as the rally continued before
Samantha Perry and
Kaity Rash were thrown out.
Cheyenne Trotter then hit a single to shortstop which plated Hawk to put the score at 8-7. Dunigan then grounded out, giving UAM the first win of the four-game series.
Rileigh Ricken went the distance in the circle for the Bulldogs and was saddled with her second loss of the season. Jones went 3-4 at the plate with one RBI to lead the Bulldogs offensively, while Martinez was her usual defensive force with 9 putouts.
Game 2: UAM 6, SWOSU 4Box Score UAM got on the board quickly to start the second game, plating two quick runs. However, SWOSU responded just as swiftly, after Martinez hit a two-run homer that also plated McDonald who had reached on a walk. The teams would end an action-packed first inning tied 2-2.
A pitching duel then ensued between
Molly Vivo and UAM's Katie Slaughter for the next four and a half innings. With McDonald on third and Martinez on second, Hawk entered the batter's box primed for some late-game heroics. She hit a single to right centerfield, plating both McDonald and Martinez. However, with Hawk and
Sierra Potts on the bags,
Kaity Rash struck out to end the inning with SWOSU leading 4-2.
The Bulldogs were just three outs away from notching their first conference win going into the top of the seventh, but it was not meant to be. With runners on first and third with two outs, McKenzie Rice hit a ball just under the glove of Dunigan that plated one run. Kelli Halder then doubled to right centerfield, bringing in two more runs. Piha hit in the final run with a single, sending the Bulldogs into the bottom of the seventh facing a 6-4 deficit.
Taylor Eaves and Dunigan struck out and flied out respectively, and McDonald stepped up to the plate in the high-pressure situation. She hit a double to the left field fence, but was thrown out at third trying to extend the hit to a triple.
Vivo took her fourth loss of the year in the second loss of the day. Martinez came up big offensively for the Bulldogs, going 2-3 with two runs and two RBIs. She also led the team with five putouts to end with 14 for the day.
The Bulldogs fell to 0-2 in conference play and 4-9 overall after the afternoon's results. SWOSU returns to action tomorrow at the Athletic Complex for Games 3 and 4 against the Cotton Blossoms. First pitch is set for 12 pm.
