ALVA, Okla. – The SWOSU Softball was well positioned to complete a season sweep of their rivals from Northwestern Oklahoma State until the Rangers scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to gain an 11-10 victory on Tuesday in Alva.
SWOSU never trailed until the final play of the game when Northwestern scored on a walk off single into left field.
SWOSU wasted hardly any time scoring as
Jewell Lee got on base with a triple during her first at bat. She would score on a passed ball while
Breanna Simmons was at the plate. Simmons hit a double and would score when
Jordyn Wadley hit a double and SWOSU was ahead 2-0 in the top of the first inning.
SWOSU added one more run in the top of the third when Wadley hit a single into right field and Simmons scored. Northwestern answered with a run in the bottom of the third, but SWOSU was ahead 3-1 going into the top of the fourth.
The Lady Bulldogs had an answer for Northwestern's one run, as they scored three runs in the top of the fourth. Lee had a sacrifice fly ball to left field and
Jordan Collins scored from third base.
Dustie Pence scored when
Kenedi Morelock had an RBI from a single. Morelock scored a run when Simmons had an RBI into right field.
SWOSU struggled to defend in the bottom of the fourth as the Lady Rangers scored three runs, making the score 6-4. The Bulldogs then expanded their lead to 9-4 in the top of the sixth when Franklin hammered a ball over the fence for a three-run home run.
The Lady Rangers made the game interesting, scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth and we were tied going into the top of the seventh. With two outs in the top of the seventh, SWOSU had no runners on base until Simmons came to bat and hit a home run over the left field fence, putting the Bulldogs three outs away from the win.
SWOSU was one out away from getting the win, but Northwestern had runners on second and third and the Bulldogs brought
Miranda Grover in for
Alisa Friesen to attempt to get the final out. Unfortunately, Northwestern had other plans got two consecutive hits and won the game 11-10 in walkoff fashion.
Simmons went 2-for-4 at the plate, had two RBIs and hit a home run. Franklin went 1-for-2 at the plate, had three RBIs and hit a home run. Wadley went 2-for-4 at the plate and had two RBI and
Dani Carmo was 2-for-2.
Brianna Cryer pitched the first four innings for SWOSU and recorded two strikeouts, but gave up five runs. Friesen came in to relieve Cryer for two innings, giving up two hits, before handing the ball off to Grover at the end of the game
The Lady Bulldogs, now 8-15 (8-10 GAC) on the year, are back in action at home this weekend for a three-game set against Southeastern Oklahoma State, beginning 3 pm on Friday and will conclude Saturday with a double header, beginning at 11 am. Southeastern is currently in first place in the Great American Conference standings.
