Eagles softball posts first sweep
Special to the Gazette
Texas A&M University-Texarkana’s softball squad slipped by the University of the Ozarks in Game 1 in extra innings, 3-2, and grandslammed the door shut in the nightcap, 10-0, to secure its first sweep in school history.
In the bottom of third inning of Game 2, A&M-Texarkana’s Hannah Cooper smashed a grand slam on the first pitch she saw to dead center to extend the lead to nine. The Eagles also recorded their first run-rule victory in school history.
“After the first game, we talked as a team and were not very satisfied with how we played, with our intensity and how we came out,” said Marie Stone, A&M-Texarkana head coach. “We gave them too many chances early, so we wanted to come out this second game and work on establishing scoring early, scoring every inning, and going back to the basics of doing what we do well as a team.”
Raylee Hodges hit the first home run for A&M-Texarkana in the bottom of the second, a solo to center. Briana Davis added a second home run in the third, a solo to right.
Eagles pitcher Ashley Nipper tossed 64 pitches, collected five strikeouts and allowed only three hits.
“In Game 1, we missed a lot of opportunities early,” Stone said. “We had a lot of baserunners on, and we didn’t execute well on the bases when we had chances. We
let the other team hang around too long and get confident, and one run isn’t enough in this game. It’s so fast and things can change so quickly.”
Kacy Maines stole home to put A&MTexarkana on the board first in Game 2. Kallee King hit a two-run single to give the host a three-run edge after the opening inning. Three home runs and two innings later, the Eagles were up, 9-0.
In the final frame, Alyssa Steward hit an RBI single to right field to bring home Kayla Mahan. After a strikeout by Nipper and two pop flies, the game was over.
“The girls executed very well in Game 2,” Stone said. “We had a lot of great base running, our hitters made adjustments, and everything started clicking for us.”
King won Game 1 for A&M-Texarkana, with a walk-off double to score pinch runner Morgan Olsen and Alyssa Steward. King finished the sequel 2-2 with a run and two RBIs. Steward was 2-3 with a run and a hit in Game 2.
A&M-Texarkana will play its first road game of the season Monday against Lion College in Batesville, Ark.