ALPINE, Texas – McMurry University Softball opened an impactful road series on Friday afternoon with two competitive bouts at Sul Ross State, coming out with one of the pair to open a three-game American Southwest Conference series in Alpine.
McMurry (18-10, 14-9 ASC) took the opener with a 5-3 victory, scoring four runs in the final three innings. Meanwhile, Sul Ross State (11-12, 11-10 ASC) used some late magic of its own to even the series with four runs in the final inning – the last of which scored on a walk-off single.
The War Hawks now sit in third place in the ASC West Division standings with a .609 win percentage, trailing Mary Hardin-Baylor (13-8) for second with a .619 win percentage. Saturday's contest is equally – if not more – meaningful for Sul Ross, as the Lobos are fifth place in the division at a .524 win percentage.
Game 1: McMurry 5, Sul Ross 3
Kinleigh Stotts earned the start for the War Hawks and finished with a complete game quality start. She allowed three runs over seven innings, including a pair of strikeouts and a pair of walks. She also scattered seven hits.
At the plate, McMurry struggled to give Stotts run support early on with just one run through four innings. The offense picked up in the fifth inning, taking the lead for good on a pair of runs in the fifth.
With a 5-2 lead in the final frame, things became a little scary for the War Hawks as the first three batters reached on two walks and a hit by pitch. With the go-ahead run at the plate, Emily Michki was able to throw out two runners at home for force outs. After one scored on a wild pitch, a popup to first ended the threat.
After falling behind in the second, McMurry's Angelica Abila ripped an RBI single to center field to tie the game at one each. Sully regained the lead with a run in the third. Savannah Flinn tied things up again in the fifth with an RBI single, then Ashley McClellan moved her into scoring position with a single. Kasey Woolard then reached on a two-out error, allowing Flinn to come home for the go-ahead score.
Making a plate appearance for the first time in three weeks, senior Mikayla Krause came through clutch with an infield single to score Jesse Stephenson. McMurry added more insurance in the seventh with a single from Emily Michki, scoring Abila.
The top three in the lineup – Flinn, McClellan and Abila – each had two hits, while Jessika Truax added two more. Freshman Grace Duecker had a hit in her lone at-bat, adding a sacrifice hit to her day.
Pitchers of record:
W – Danielle Gomez (1-1)
L – Jodie Vaughn (5-8)
Game 2: Sul Ross 7, McMurry 6
McMurry scored the first six runs of the game, but Sul Ross scored the last seven en route to a come-from-behind walk-off victory. The winning run scored on a bases loaded single by Camryn Hardin.
In a day of lineup returns, much like Krause, sophomore catcher Symone Gary made her first start of the season on Friday. The catcher ended her rookie year with a .688 batting average (11-for-16) and three doubles for seven RBI, but has not appeared this season.
Gary picked up right where she left off in her first at-bat of the single, placing an RBI double down the left field line to score Brianna Martinez in the second inning. Gary's hit gave her team the 1-0 lead early in the game.
Emily Michki had one of her best games to date in the nightcap, driving in three runs on a 3-for-4 day. She had a run-scoring infield single in the third and a two-run single in the fifth. Jessika Truax added a two-run double in the gap to score Michki and Ashley McClellan in the third, contributing to a six run lead.
Things began to turn sour in the final innings, as a three-run double with the bases loaded allowed the Lobos to achieve momentum. Despite getting out of the inning, McMurry was unable to hold the lead in the seventh, as the Lobos rallied with six hits in the final frame.
Bekah Chance went the whole way for McMurry, throwing 136 pitches before all was said and done. Sul Ross pitcher Miranda Martinez dealt 6.0 innings on the other side before giving the ball to Danielle Gomez in the seventh for the win.
Pitchers of record:
W – Danielle Gomez (1-1)
L – Bekah Chance (4-2)
On Deck
The rubber match is set for tomorrow at 11 a.m. in Alpine.
