SALEM, Virginia – The No. 1 Angelo State softball team won the longest game in program history 6-5 over West Virginia Wesleyan in 12 innings and will play on Saturday at 4 p.m. EST / 3 p.m. CST with a chance to advance to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship Series.
The Rambelles (59-5) recorded 16 hits on the day but did commit three errors that led to three unearned runs. Eight of ASU's nine starters were able to collect a hit in the game. The Bobcats (50-9) finished with nine hits and two errors including one that allowed ASU to score the game-winning run in the top of the 12th.
It is the first time the Rambelles have won the first two games of the NCAA Division II Softball College World Series since 2004. ASU will face either Armstrong State, Humboldt State or Molloy on Saturday at 4 p.m. EST / 3 p.m. CST and will need one win in its next two games to advance to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship Series.
ASU had opportunities in the seventh and ninth innings to secure the win but the two teams just wouldn't quit. With the game reaching the 12th inning, Kennedy Urbany and Courtney Barnhill led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Taegan Kirk sent a ball to the right center gap and two West Virginia Wesleyan outfielders collided and the ball dropped to the ground. Urbany scored from second for the go-ahead run.
Morgan Hill, who came into the game in the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second, closed out the game with a fly ball, liner to first base and a grounder to the shortstop to secure the win in the 12th inning. The junior won her ninth game of the season in 5.1 innings pitched. She struck out three and scattered three hits. The only run allowed by Hill was unearned in the ninth.
The Rambelles had an opportunity to win it in the ninth. Brooke Mangold sent a ball to the right center gap and used her speed to get to third to start the ninth. Madison Greenwell stepped to the plate and singled through the left side for a 5-4 lead. West Virginia Wesleyan was able to battle back again in the bottom of the inning score an unearned run on a sacrifice fly.
The Bobcats took an early 2-0 lead with a run in the first and a solo home run in the fourth off ASU starter Brandy Marlett. Hannah Vet had scattered four hits through the first five innings to keep Angelo State scoreless.
It wouldn't be until the sixth inning that the Rambelles were able to get on the board. After a single by Urbany, Barnhill crushed a ball to right center for her 15th home run of the season to tie the game at two. The freshman finished the game 4-for-6 scoring one run and driving in two. Kirk doubled to left field and moved to third on a ground out. Danae Bina stepped to the plate with two outs and put down bunt. Kirk was reading the bunt and was able to score to give ASU a 3-2 advantage.
Mangold scored an insurance run in the seventh on a RBI single from Urbany to increase the Rambelles advantage to 4-2.
Marlett looked to close out the game in the seventh with two outs. The junior got a fly ball to shallow left field but the wind moved the ball and created a difficult play. The ball resulted in an error allowing two unearned runs to score. Marlett pitched 6.2 innings only allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out three. She recorded her 300thyio;u strikeout of the season and now has 302 on the year.
Saturday's game will be broadcasted locally on 100.1 KCLL with Jeremy Bryant on the call.
