The Sul Ross State softball team had to overcome deficits twice to sweep Midland College during an exhibition doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at the Lobo Softball Field.
In Game 1, Midland led 5-4 before the Lobos rallied for five runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth to win 13-5 in five innings.
Sul Ross trailed 8-1 in Game 2. The Lobos scored eight runs in the final two innings to escape with the 9-8 victory.
>> GAME 1:
The Lobos got on the board in the bottom of the third when
Annika Canaba drove in
Kyndell Garcia with an RBI double.
Jaelyn Zuniga then hit an RBI single to center to tie up the game at 2-2.
Adriana Hernandez kept the rally alive by driving in a run with an RBI single to right.
Sul Ross got its third-straight single as
Jenna Spencer scored Zuniga to extend the lead to 4-2.
As Midland took a 5-4 lead in the top of the fourth, the Lobos answered back in the bottom half of the inning.
Nadia Valverde hit an RBI double to left to tie the game. Zuniga then came through with the go-ahead RBI single.
After a pair of errors by the shortstop, the Lobo lead grew to 9-5.
With the eight-run rule in reach, Sul Ross wasn't done yet on offense. After two singles from Canaba and
Samantha Chavez, Valverde drew a walk to load up the bases in the bottom of the fifth.
Zuniga drew a four-pitch walk to drive in a run. Hernandez then delivered an RBI single.
The Lobos got two more RBI singles from Spencer and
Claire Decker to grow the lead to eight to end the game.
Sul Ross had 12 hits to Midland's four.
Canaba finished 2 for 4 with a single, double and an RBI while Hernandez went 3 for 4 with three singles and two RBI.
Spencer tallied two singles to go 2 for 3 with a walk and two RBI.
Zuniga drove in four runs as she went 2 for 3 with two singles and a walk. Valverde finished 1 for 1 with a double, three walks and an RBI.
Hunter Montes started in the circle, throwing four innings allowing four hits and three earned runs with one strikeout.
Leanza Chambers faced four batters in one inning as she didn't allow a single hit or run.
>> GAME 2:
Sul Ross took the lead to start the series finale after a leadoff single by
Elizabeth Clemente, Hernandez hit an RBI single to make it 1-0 in the bottom of the second.
Midland then took a 2-1 lead after getting a two-run home run in the fourth.
In the top of the fifth, Midland grew its lead to 5-1 and then it scored three more runs in the sixth to lead by seven.
Sul Ross fought its way back beginning in the bottom half of the sixth.
Madison Hodges got things started with a leadoff single while Clemente doubled to right. Hernandez then drew a walk to load up the bases.
Garcia delivered an RBI single to right to drive in Hodges. The Lobos strung together three more singles to trail by two runs.
Montes hit a two RBI single to right while
Briannah Mejias drove in Garcia with another single to right.
Chambers tallied the final single in the rally that drove in
Hannah Clark.
Spencer cut the deficit to one run after she grounded out to second which allowed Mejias to score.
The Lobos made quick work of Midland in the top of the seventh. The Chaparrals left a runner stranded during the inning.
With the bases full of Lobos in the bottom of the seventh, Clark delivered a one-out two RBI double to right field to notch the win for Sul Ross.
Clemente had a solid outing, going 4 for 4 with three singles, a double and three runs scored. Garcia finished 2 for 4 with two singles and an RBI.
Mejias tallied two singles, a walk and an RBI to go 2 for 2.
Chambers, Hodges and Rodriguez all went 1 for 4 with a single.
Madilyn Martinez went four innings allowing six hits and two earned runs while she struck out two batters.
Erin Trevino came into relieve as she went 2.1 innings allowing four earned runs while she tallied a pair of strikeouts.
Mejias faced three batters in 2/3 of an inning as she did not allow a single run.
>> RECORDS: Sul Ross (1-4); Midland College (15-5)
>> UP NEXT: The Lobos resume conference play by traveling to Abilene to take on Hardin-Simmons for a three-game series that begins Friday, March 10 at 3 p.m. with a doubleheader.
