CANYON, Texas – The Angelo State softball team lost 6-5 in nine innings to No. 1 West Texas A&M in the semifinals of the LSC Tournament after defeating Texas A&M-Commerce 4-0 in the first round in Canyon on Friday.
The Rambelles are now 36-21 and will await the NCAA Division II Selection Show held on Monday morning at 9 a.m. ASU scored nine runs on 13 hits in the two games. It was the fourth game of the WT series that was decided by one run.
"I was proud of the way we competed," Angelo State head softball coach Travis Scott said. "We played good softball today. Brandy Marlett threw another great game and we got some big hits especially Brooke's triple. It was exciting to see that because she busts her tail every day. Morgan Hill threw really well against WT and we did what we needed to do and had our chances and it was just a typical WT-ASU game this time of year. We know we can compete with them and just missed a few chances. I am very happy with where we are at and how we are playing."
The Rambelles were led by an outstanding pitching performance from Brandy Marlett. She threw her fifth shutout of the season while holding Texas A&M-Commerce (36-17) to just four hits. The sophomore struck out seven batters and kept the Lions scoreless with some help from her defense.
The first defensive play came in the top of the first. Texas A&M-Commerce tried to score from first base but Brooke Mangold hit her cutoff to Ciara Sheppard. The sophomore connected with Taegan Kirk to get the out at the plate.
ASU was held to just three hits but broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning. Mangold stepped to the plate and hit a triple down the right field line to score Bailey Wallace and Lanie Robinson. The sophomore than used her speed as Sheppard hit a RBI single to make it 3-0.
The Rambelles tacked on another run in the fifth. Becky Wilhelm's single to left field brought home Alexis for a 4-0 advantage.
Mangold went 2-for-3 for the game with two RBIs and one run scored. It was also the Castroville's first triple of the season.Â
Marlett took care of the rest sitting down TAMUC down in order in the fifth and seventh. The only runner allowed was a hit by pitch. The Henderson, Nevada native improved to 18-9 on the season.
Game two was another classic matchup with West Texas A&M that lasted over three hours.
The Lady Buffs (51-2) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the fourth inning but the Rambelles responded in the sixth.
Madison Greenwell hit an infield single. A walk followed by a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Ambra Hill. The senior hit a ball up the middle to put ASU on the board. A bases loaded walk by Kirk trimmed the deficit to 3-2. With two outs, Sheppard changed the momentum with a two RBI single through the right side with three runs scoring on the play to put ASU up 5-3. The sophomore went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in game two.
West Texas A&M tied it up in the sixth with two more runs. It looked like WT would win the game in the seventh but Morgan Hill struck out Shayne Starkey looking to leave the bases loaded. The sophomore struck out a season high nine batters in the game.
After a scoreless eighth and a slight delay in the ninth, WT hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to end the game.
Hill falls to 5-7 with the loss after pitching 7.1 innings. She scattered six hits and walked six.
The Rambelles were ranked No. 6 in the most recent NCAA Division II South Central Regional poll. The top eight teams will advance to one of two NCAA South Central Regional tournaments.
