Clarksville, Ark.--The U of O softball team came up winless at the American Southwest Conference crossover tournament in Irving, Texas, this past weekend after facing the top four teams in the West division.
Ozarks (1-6-1, 0-4) suffered a 3-0 setback to Texas Lutheran University and a 10-3 loss to Hardin-Simmons University on March 11. The Lady Eagles then were defeated 4-2 in a game against Howard Payne University and 9-8 against Mary Hardin-Baylor on March 12. Texas Lutheran used three runs in the top of the eighth inning to break a 0-0 tie and end the game with a 3-0 victory. Ozarks had the last at-bat, but was unable to score any runs. The Lady Eagles recorded just one hit in the contest. Dana Marvin (0-3) received the loss after pitching eight innings and striking out three. In game two on Friday against Hardin-Simmons, the Lady Eagles took a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the third inning before the Lady Cowgirls answered with ten runs over the next four innings. Freshman catcher/designated hitter Chelsea Joslin led off the third inning with a home run to give Ozarks a 3-0 advantage. In their 10-3 win, Hardin-Simmons tallied 14 hits and would hold Ozarks to just two hits after the third inning. Joslin went 3-for-3 with two RBI to lead Ozarks. Chanceree Catlett (1-3) took the loss after pitching five and one-third innings and striking out two. On Saturday, the Lady Eagles scored two runs late it the game, but it wasn’t enough as Howard Payne took a 4-2 win. Facing a 4-0 deficit going into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Lady Eagles scored when Tiffany Armstrong crossed the plate. Ozarks added another run in the seventh when Brooke Grice doubled in Erica Newell. Ozarks collected seven hits in the game, with Grice and Jessica Pianalto each recording two apiece. Marvin received the loss in a seven-inning complete game. Ozarks nearly turned in the weekend’s biggest comeback on Saturday against Mary Hardin-Baylor when they scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to pull within one run, but their rally was a little too late as the Lady Crusaders gained a 9-8 win. Ozarks held a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but Mary Hardin-Baylor quickly answered with three runs of their own to take a 3-2 advantage into the second. The Lady Eagles hit back-to-back home runs in the first to begin the high-scoring affair. Both Newell and Joslin hammered out homers. Ozarks, however, would be held to one run over the next five innings before exploding for five runs in the final inning. Facing a 9-3 deficit in the seventh, Jodie Clark led off with a walk. Kara Bartholomew then reached base on a bunt and Shannon Rainbolt walked to load the bases for Armstrong. Armstrong then drew another walk to score Clark. Newell then blasted her second home run of the season for a grand slam. Newell’s shot, which cut the deficit to one run, wouldn’t be enough as Ozarks couldn’t score after loading the bases for a second time in the inning. Joslin led the team with three hits. Newell went 2-for-4 with four RBI in the contest. Catlett, who struck out three, took the loss. The Lady Eagles travel to Clinton, Mississippi, to face Mississippi College for a four-game series on March 11 and 12.
Topics: Athletics