SAN ANGELO, Texas – There's no place like home for the Angelo State softball team. The 16th-ranked Rambelles were 21-3 at home last year and return to the ASU Softball Complex at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday for their 2012 home opener against Central Oklahoma.
 
“It's a great feeling when you come out and the stands are absolutely packed,” sophomore pitcher Mary Kate McKay said. “Knowing that you have that support from community that will be there through your ups and downs is great.”
 
The Rambelles opened their season last weekend in the rain-shortened St. Mary's Tournament where they finished 1-2. Despite the rain, the Belles' offensive shined, hitting .341 with a .446 on-base percentage. Senior first baseman Elsamartina Apo paced the team, hitting .714 during the tournament with four RBIs, two runs scored and an .818 on-base percentage.  
 
“We took real good approaches last weekend and scored several runs as a result,” Angelo State head coach Travis Scott said. “The girls were patient at the plate and selective with their pitches, which is what we need them to do.”
 
This will be Central Oklahoma's first game of the 2012 season.
 
Saturday's contest marks the 22nd all-time meeting between the two programs with the Bronchos holding an 11-10 advantage. The teams split last season, as Angelo State won 10-0 on Feb. 19 in the Southeastern Oklahoma Invitational before UCO grabbed a 9-1 victory in the LSC Crossover Tournament on April 2.  
 
“UCO is very competitive and have always given us a tough time,” Scott said. “They're going to be aggressive at the plate and try to put some runs on the board, so we're going to need to eliminate our errors and hopefully come out on the winning side of things.”