CLAREMORE, Okla. – SWOSU Softball earned its second straight split Sunday at the Rogers State Festival, walking off Midwestern State 3-2 in extra innings before dropping a 1-0 pitcher's duel to No. 18-ranked Rogers State.
The Bulldogs' win over MSU served as redemption after falling to the Mustangs less than 24 hours earlier. SWOSU finishes the weekend 2-2.
Game One (8 inn.)
SWOSU 3, Midwestern State 2
SWOSU erased a two-run deficit and walked off the Mustangs in extras, winning the game on a pinch-hit single from
Olivia Brown in the eighth inning.
Midwestern State scored single runs in each of the first two innings, but starting pitcher
Jaycee McKee settled in and did not allow a run the rest of the way. McKee went the distance in the circle, tossing a complete game while striking out three and scattering six hits.
Trailing 2-0 in the fifth,
Maddie Rahon sparked the rally with a double.
Landry Bayless followed with an RBI single to bring SWOSU within one, and
Josie Oakley tied the game two batters later with an RBI groundout.
The Bulldogs ended it in the eighth.
Skyla McPhillips opened the inning with a single, and Oakley advanced pinch runner
Emily Wedel into scoring position. Brown stepped in for her first at-bat of the game and delivered the walk-off base hit to secure the win.
McPhillips finished 3-for-4 at the plate. Rahon doubled twice and scored a run, going 2-for-4 in the opener.
Game Two
No. 18 Rogers State 1, SWOSU 0
Fresh off a complete-game shutout Saturday,
Alexis Taylor was sharp once again against a ranked Rogers State squad. Taylor allowed just two hits, but the Hillcats' lone run — scored after a leadoff single to begin the game — proved to be the difference.
Rogers State doubled to start the second inning, but Taylor responded by retiring the next 15 hitters in order to close out the contest.
SWOSU's offense managed three singles and was unable to push a runner into scoring position against Rogers State's pitching.
McPhillips went 1-for-3 in the nightcap, while Wedel finished 1-for-1 and
Taylor McMahon went 1-for-2.