Final Box (.pdf)

WICHITA FALLS – Emporia State may have knocked Angelo State down in Friday's game, but the Rambelles knocked the Hornets out in Saturday's elimination game. DeeshanaLynn Tafiti hit a three-run triple in the top of the sixth to cap the six-run inning and propel the Belles past ESU, 9-5, at Mustangs Park.

“It's always a dog fight against Emporia (State) and today was no different,” said Angelo State head coach Travis Scott. “We just continued to fight and Shana came up huge for us.”

Angelo State (44-13) entered the sixth inning down, 4-2, but left the frame up, 8-4.

Brittany Astle led off the inning with a comebacker up the middle followed by an Amanda Wilhelm base knock. Chelsey Walters followed suit and singled to left field which scored Astle and made it a one-run game (4-3). With two outs and the bases loaded, Kacie Easley got hit by a pitch, which tied the game, 4-4.

The hits kept coming as Elsa Apo singled through the left side to put Angelo State on top, 5-4. The inning was highlighted by Tafiti's bases-clearing triple that scored three and gave the Belles a four-run lead (8-4).

“I'm just happy I could help out my team,” said Tafiti. “The pitch was on the outer half of the plate, and I just took it the other way.”

ASU's Mary Kate McKay entered in the fourth inning and tossed 3.2 innings of work, where she allowed six hits and just one earned run. The freshman from Madill, Okla., picked up her second win of day, and improved to 16-4 on the year.

After having the lead-off runner reach safely in all five innings against Texas A&M-International, the Rambelles continued the streak against the Hornets. ASU has now had the lead-off runner reach safely in 12-consecutive innings. The Belles eventually capitalized in the third inning when Morgan Spearman scored on a Kaycee Taylor double to the alleyway in left center. This snapped Emporia State (42-16) pitcher Karley Schmelzer's streak of 33.0 innings without surrendering an earned run. The Belles tried to build on their early 1-0 lead, but the Hornets' centerfielder Jessica Brewer threw a pair of runners out at the plate to end the threat.

The Hornets absorbed the jab and countered with three runs on three hits in the bottom half to take a 3-1 lead. ESU shortstop Abby Hughes—who successfully laid down the suicide squeeze in Friday's contest—hit a one hopper off the right-center field wall to score a pair and give the Hornets a 2-1 advantage. Hughes would eventually score after Amanda Self singled to right and provided an issuance run.

Emporia tacked on another run in the fourth inning after Katie Huffman scored to give ESU a 4-1 cushion. Angelo State responded, scoring eight runs over the course of the next three innings to secure a 9-5 victory.

The Belles swung their way to Sunday's championship game against top-seed Midwestern State. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m., at Mustangs Park.

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