San Angelo, TX – The Angelo State Rambelles headed into the Saturday doubleheader against the Mustangs with the series advantage, having won the Friday game by a score of 5-3. Travis Scott had claimed his 800th career win, and the Rambelles had improved to 20-9 on the year (7-6 in conference play). All that was left was for the Angelo State Softball squad to complete the series, and for Scott to begin the march to 900.
Game 1
The first game of the day started in favor of the Rambelles, who were able to score thanks in part to a defensive miscommunication on a pop fly. ASU would exit the second inning leading MSU 2-1 with just one hit in the game so far. The back-and-forth would continue into the top of the third, as the mustangs scratched two more runs across with a walk and a pair of doubles.
To keep the trend, Angelo State responded in force in the bottom of the third with a leadoff single by Courtney Barnhill. Barnhill would then be brought all the way around the bases to score by a Hatty Shope frozen rope to right-center field, tying the game up at 3-3. Taegan Kirk then reached by an infield single and the floodgates were opened. Taylor Fogle then roped a two RBI single into centerfield to score Kirk and Shope. Some small ball and hard hitting would keep the rally going, and soon Courtney Barnhill would step into the batter's box once again. She would draw a walk, and when all was said and done the Rambelles had scored six runs on six hits before the inning would end.
Not to be outdone, the Mustangs struck back in the top of the fourth to make it a ballgame again. It would only take three hits, including a bases clearing double, for the Mustangs to score five runs and even everything up again at 8-8. Following her own example from the night before, Courtney Barnhill stepped up to the plate and blasted a solo home run over the right field fence to take back the lead at 9-8. The Rambelles would end up once again batting through the lineup to put up six runs on four hits. In those four hits, Jade Strother hit her second homerun of the season – a three run blast pulled to left field.
Game 2
The second game of the day started off with a bang for the Rambelles who took advantage of a number of illegal pitches resulting in walks. These walks would load the bases in the first inning for Jade Strother, who had hit a homerun in the previous game. Strother again showed that her power at the plate is no fluke as she blasted a grand slam deep over the left field fence to give ASU a 4-0 lead in their first offensive appearance of the game.
Angelo State kept their foot on the gas in the second and third innings, putting up three runs in the second and then six more in the fourth to blow the game open and take a 13-0 lead. Midwestern State would try and strike back in the fourth and fifth innings, but would only collect two runs on two solo shots to fall 13-2.
The ASU lineup was lethal in the final game of the series, spreading around eight hits between seven hitters. Courtney Barnhill continued her hot streak at the plate, going 1-1 with two RBIs, a double, two walks, and three runs scored. Hatty Shope had one hit, one walk, and one RBI as well as two runs scored. Taegan Kirk, wearing #22 in the 2 position, went 2-2 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
The Rambelles improve to 22-9 with the sweep.
