The No. 2-ranked Angelo State softball team (24-2, 3-0 LSC South) extended its winning streak to 13 games and matched the best 26-game start in school history Saturday as the Rambelles won both ends of a doubleheader with Tarleton State, 7-6 and 2-1, to sweep the three-game weekend series with the TexAnns. ASU also extended its home winning streak to 23 games, dating back to last season, now 15-0 at the ASU Softball Complex to start the season.
The Rambelles jumped ahead quickly in the first game of the day, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly by freshman Kacie Easley, scoring senior Nicole Smith. TSU would knot the game, 1-1, however in the top of the second frame on a passed ball.
Angelo State would then post three runs in the second, two in the third and a final run in the fourth to grab a demanding 7-1 advantage. Junior Alix Dean lead off ASU's half of the second with a her conference-leading 12th double of the season and was quickly followed by a two-run home run by senior April Haywood, her team-best tying fourth of the season. The Rambelles would add another run in the second inning as freshman Chelsey Walters scored on a wild pitch.
In the third frame, would get back-to-back RBI hits by Walters and junior Brittany Astle to plate a pair of runs. Walters' double to right-centerfield would score Dean and Astle would single in Walters with a shot to right field. ASU's final run came in the fourth as junior Kaycee Taylor singled in Smith.
The TexAnns (9-11, 0-3 LSC South) would use a five-run fifth inning to draw within one run, using five hits and a walk, but ASU senior Chelsea Nelson would enter the game to record the final two outs of the inning to secure the lead.
Right-hander Haywood (9-1) would gather the win, giving up four earned runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Nelson matched the ASU single-season record with her four save of the year as she tossed the final 2.2 innings, scattering three hits with a pair of strikeouts. Haywood would go 2-for-3 from the plate with two RBI and a run scored while Astle added a 2-for-3 performance with an RBI.
In the final game of the series, the Rambelles got all their offense in the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back RBI hits by Easley and Taylor. Easley's single to right field would score DeMoss and Taylor's double to the right field wall would plate Easley. TSU would score a run in the top of the third on a single by Arianna Rodriguez, but Nelson would retire eight straight TexAnns before giving up a hit the sixth to quiet the TSU rally.
Right-hander Nelson (11-1) had yet another solid start, giving up just one earned run on six hits in the complete-game win. Nelson fanned eight TexAnns while issuing three walks. Easley would go 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored while Taylor went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
ASU head coach Travis Scott would finish the week with another coaching milestone, as he recorded his 400th career coaching victory. After the weekend sweep of the TexAnns, Scott sits 400-140-2 (74%) in his 10th year as a collegiate head coach. Scott is approaching yet another milestone in the coming days as he approaches his 300th win at ASU. He currently sits 299-90 in his seventh season with the Rambelles.
The Rambelles' 24-2 record through 26 games matches the best in school history, set in 2003. The 2003 ASU squad opened the season 20-0 and posted 29 wins before collecting its third loss of the season.
Angelo State will play its first official road games of the season this weekend as the Rambelles travel to Portales, N.M., to face Eastern New Mexico. Up to this point, ASU has played only home games or neutral site games in tournaments. The Rambelles and ENMU will play two games Friday, Mar. 19, at 2 p.m., and close out the three-game weekend series with a 2 p.m. game Saturday, Mar. 20. The games against the Zias were originally scheduled for Mar. 20-21, but were moved up to scheduling conflicts at ENMU.
