It was a tale of two different games.
The Sul Ross State softball team had a solid offensive performance backed by some solid pitching from
Leanza Chambers to take Game 1 over McMurry University, 9-5.
In the nightcap, the War Hawks evened up the series by taking the contest, 7-4, on Friday night at the Lobo Softball Field.
>> GAME 1:
The Lobos got on the board early in the bottom of the first on an RBI infield single by
Ciera Avila.
Madison Hodges then followed things up with an RBI double to left to make the score 2-0.
In the bottom of the third,
Samantha Chavez hit a leadoff single through the left side.
Toni Mishnick then hit an infield single to third.
An error by the shortstop allowed a run to score and then
Adriana Hernandez hit an RBI single to right center to extend the Lobo lead to 4-0.
Chambers had been working a no-hitter until the top of the fourth when Aliyah Tanguma spoiled it all with a single to right.
McMurry was able to rally for two runs with an RBI double by Miranda Solieau and an RBI single by Trista Brown.
The Lobos added some insurance runs in the fifth as
Lily Wiser hit an RBI double to left center to drive in Mishnick after her leadoff single.
Kyndell Garcia then hit an RBI single to center.
Avila hit a two RBI triple to left center in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 8-2. Hodges drove in the final run with an RBI single up the middle.
McMurry attempted a comeback in the top of the seventh when it scored three runs on three hits. Soileau highlighted the inning with a three RBI triple.
>> RECORDS: Sul Ross State (13-12); McMurry (15-8)
>> GAME NOTES:
- The Lobos had 14 hits.
- Chavez went 2 for 4 with two singles.
- Mishnick finished 3 for 3 with three singles.
- Hodges also went 3 for 3 with two singles, a double and two RBI.
- Avila drove in three runs as she finished 2 for 4 with a single and a triple.
- Hernandez tallied two singles to go 2 for 4 with an RBI.
- Chambers improved to 6-4 in the circle after tossing a complete game with two strikeouts.
>> GAME 2:
McMurry came out of the gates with a two-run lead in the top of the first.
The Lobos got on the board with an RBI double by Wiser in the bottom half of the first.
Samantha Bustos then tied up the game on a fielder's choice to short that brought in Wiser.
After two straight scoreless innings for both teams, the War Hawks took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fourth by tallying three hits.
Sul Ross State fought back to tie the game in the bottom half of the fourth when
Kyndell Garcia scored on an error by the shortstop while Mishnick hit an RBI single to left.
Unfortunately, the Lobos were held scoreless in the final three innings as McMurry scored once in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to pull away for the win.
>> RECORDS: McMurry (16-8); Sul Ross State (13-13)
>> GAME NOTES:
- Chavez finished 3 for 4 with three singles to extend her hitting streak to five games.
- Chavez is hitting a team-high .456 with a team-leading 41 hits.
- Mishnick went 2 for 4 with two singles and an RBI to extend her hitting streak to five games.
- Wiser had a double to go 1 for 4 with an RBI.
- Wiser is riding a nine-game hitting streak as she boosted her average to .400.
- Kyndell Garcia went 2 for 3 with a single, double and an RBI.
>> UP NEXT: The series concludes with a single game at 11 a.m. CDT on Saturday, April 6.
