Farmers Branch, Texas.-The Lady Eagles softball team struck out 15 times in a 3-1 loss against Southwestern University and then lost a 3-2 heart-breaker to Hardin-Simmons University at the American Southwest Conference First Pitch Tournament Friday in Farmers Branch, Texas.
Southwestern (4-5) pitcher Lauren Zearfoss worked seven innings and allowed just five hits to go along with 15 strike outs in the Lady Eagles’ first loss of the season. Southwestern built a 2-0 lead after the first and then added another run in the fourth. Zearfoss struck out 11 in a row at one point and the Lady Eagles (4-2) had base runners in only two of their seven innings. In the sixth, Casey Mays recorded an infield single and Ali Mathis followed with an RBI double to score one. Mathis finished 2-for-3.
Amber Rollins (3-1) took the loss in six innings of work. She struck out eight.
The Lady Eagles put on a seventh inning rally only to see Hardin-Simmons (3-3) escape with a one-run victory.
Trailing 3-1 heading into the seventh, Kelsey Stephens laced a single through the left side of the infield and was then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brittany Wagnon. Stephens eventually went to third on a ground out and scored on a Colbey Russo single. Russo stole second to put the game-tying run in scoring position. However, the rally stopped there as Hardin-Simmons forced a line out to end the game.
Ozarks evened the score 1-1 in the third on Arel Ferguson’s RBI single. The Cowgirls then answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead for good.
Tabitha Porter (1-1) took the loss.
Ozarks will face Concordia University Texas and Texas Lutheran tomorrow in day two of the tournament.
Topics: Athletics