SAN ANGELO – The No. 5 Angelo State softball team finished off a four-game sweep of Western New Mexico with its 15th and 16th straight victories on Sunday afternoon at Mayer Field.
The Rambelles (17-1, 6-0 LSC) combined to score 16 runs on 20 hits while limiting WNMU (1-16, 0-6 LSC) to three runs on eight hits.
"We played really well all weekend," Angelo State head softball coach Travis Scott said. "We hit balls hard until game four. We swung the bats really well and had some big performances. Karina Rocha had a great weekend with four home runs. We just had a lot of production up and down the lineup. Give WNMU credit in game four because they played well. It was nice to get in a tight battle and see some situations that will help us down the road. I was happy the way they responded with some big hits especially Bailey Wallace."
Angelo State scored early and often in the final game of the three-game LSC series. Taegan Kirk brought home the first run with a double over the centerfielder's head. Mykayla Stroud brought home the second run with a single through the left side. Danae Bina stole second base after being hit by a pitch and an errant throw by the WNMU second baseman allowed Kirk to score. Taylor Fogle drove in the final run with a single to left field to make it 4-0.
More runs came in the second inning highlighted by a pair of home runs. Brooke Mangold reached on a walk and then stole second base. Madison Greenwell singled to right field to bring Mangold home. Karina Rocha made it five straight games with a home run two batters later with a towering three-run shot to left field. It is the sophomore's 11th of the year. Kirk followed it up with a solo home run to left field that to make it 9-0 after two innings.
Brandy Marlett was sharp once again sitting down WNMU in order through the first four innings.
Three more runs came in the bottom of the fourth with Taylor Fogle joining the home run party. The junior sent a ball to left center for a three run home run. It is her second of the season.
Marlett, who had seven strikeouts in the game, came out in the fifth looking to complete a perfect game. The Mustangs leadoff hitter was able to send a ball to right field that dropped for the only hit of the game. Makayla Corbin came in relief and got a double play pop-up and struck out the final batter of the game. Marlett improves to 5-0 on the season with the win.
Game four of the series turned into a nail biting game.
ASU took a 1-0 lead in the second inning as Jade Strother hit a RBI single to centerfield. The bats would go quiet in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning as the Rambelles only managed one hit through those three innings.
Through the first five innings of the game, Morgan Hill only allowed three hits and zero runs.
WNMU was able to tie the game in the sixth. The Mustangs had a runner on second and a single up the middle had the runner at second going home. Mangold threw a ball to home plate but the WNMU runner was able to get under the tag to tie the game.
The seventh inning had some anxious moments. WNMU had a ball called fair down the line result in a double to put a runner on second. A fielder's choice put runners on first and third with one out. The Mustangs put down a bunt and the runner at third came home but was tagged out. Kirk tried to throw the runner out at second but the ball was errant and allowed two runs to score.
Trailing 3-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, the bases were loaded with one out for Bailey Wallace. The junior was clutch hitting a ball to right field that allowed Danae Bina and Mangold to score to tie the game.
Marlett came in relief of Hill in the top of the seventh continued to pitch. The senior sat down WNMU in order in the eighth and ninth while striking out three.
It took until the ninth inning for the Rambelles to finish the comeback victory. Strother singled off the pitcher's foot and a sacrifice bunt by Mangold put a runner in scoring position. Greenwell flied to deep right field to move Strother to third. Wallace came through again with a single to right field to win the game.
Marlett earned her sixth victory of the second in 2.2 innings of work.
The Rambelles will host St. Edward's on Thursday, March 1 at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Mayer Field. The game will feature post-game fireworks courtesy of the Angelo State the office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.
