vs. UT-Permian Basin Box Score
vs. Northwood Box Score
vs. UT-Permian Basin Box Score
 
     FARMERS BRANCH, Texas - The Texas Wesleyan softball team refused to quit after falling in game one of the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament Friday morning at Oren Good Park. The Lady Rams fought back to defeat Northwood, 4-0, and the same UTPB team, 11-0 to advance to Saturday's showdown with Bacone College.

UT-Permian Basin 11, Texas Wesleyan 6

     Texas Wesleyan fell to UT-Permian Basin, 11-6, Friday morning in the opening game of the 2005 Red River Athletic Conference Tournament. The Lady Rams entered the game with the number four seed and the Lady Falcons were the number five seed.

     Texas Wesleyan opened up the scoring in the first inning, pushing across four runs in the first inning. Second baseman Jessica Bancroft led off the inning with a single to left field. Urteaga reached base after she was struck in the back with a Brittany Francis pitch. Third baseman Ariel Raley got on by an errant throw by the third baseman to load the bases. Catcher Tara Sharp blasted a ball down the third base line to score both Bancroft and Urteaga. Leftfielder Danah Merck and designated player Marie Stone hit back-to-back sacrifice flies to score Raley and Sharp on successive at-bats to put the Lady Rams ahead, 4-0.

     UT-Permian Basin cut the lead to, 4-2 with home runs by Francis and leftfielder Stephanie Sparks in the second and third innings respectively.

     The Lady Rams scored another run in the fifth inning when Merck led off the inning with a walk. She advanced to third base on a throwing error by the Lady Falcon third baseman. She then scored on a sacrifice fly by rightfielder Rachel Hampton to make the score, 5-2.

     The Lady Falcons tied the game up in the sixth inning, scoring three runs off of Texas Wesleyan starting pitcher Rachel Lamont. UTPB used three hits and one walked to score the runs with the big hit being a double by first baseman Sasha Waggoner to drive in two of the runs.

     UTPB busted the game open in the top of the eighth inning, scoring six runs to take a 11-5 lead.

     The Lady Rams were able to put up one run in the bottom of the inning as centerfielder Staci Fritz doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a single by Bancroft for the final score, 11-6.

     Francis picked up the victory, allowing six runs on 12 hits, while walking three and striking out one batter in eight innings of work.

     Lamont (9-9) suffered the loss for the Lady Rams, allowing 10 runs on 11 hits, while walking six and striking out seven batters in seven innings of work.

     In the loss, Bancroft shined at the plate, going 4-for-5 with one runs scored and one RBI.

Texas Wesleyan 4, Northwood 0

     Texas Wesleyan fought back in the loser's bracket and defeated Northwood, 4-0, Friday afternoon in the RRAC Tourney.

     The Lady Rams got started early again, scoring three runs in the second inning. Hampton led off the inning with a walk and scored on an RBI-triple by Stone. Stone then scored on a RBI-single by first baseman Brooke McNabb.

     Junior Pitcher Devin Blew had her stuff working against the Lady Knights, keeping them off-balance all afternoon.

     Texas Wesleyan pushed across another run in the fifth inning. Sharp led off the inning with a double to left field. She then moved to third base on a sacrifice by Merck. After Hampton reached on an error by the Lady Knight shortstop, she stole second and Sharp raced home on the play to make the score, 4-0.

     Northwood couldn't solve Blew (9-10), as she allowed only four hits, while walking two and striking out three batters in her seven-inning shutout.

     Thompson suffered the loss for the Lady Knights, allowing four runs on six hits, while walking five and striking out three batters in seven innings of work.

Texas Wesleyan 11, UT-Permian Basin 0

     Texas Wesleyan avenged their early loss against UT-Permian Basin with an 11-0 run-rule victory over the Lady Falcons, Friday evening in the RRAC Tourney.

     After a scoreless first inning, Texas Wesleyan scored runs in the last four innings. The Lady Rams pushed across three runs in the second inning, four runs in the third inning, one run in the fourth inning and three more runs in the fifth inning.

     The highlight of the night came when sophomore Amanda Milam, who had been sidelined for two months with an injury, pinch-hit. The Wollforth, Texas native, blasted a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run.

     Other hitting stars for the night were Stone who went 2-for-2 with three RBI and McNabb who finished 1-for-3 with three RBI as well.

     Blew (10-10) pitched another fabulous game, allowing just four hits, while walking one and striking out seven batters in five innings of work. The Crowley, Texas native registered her second consecutive shutout in the tourney.

     
     Texas Wesleyan will be back in action Saturday, when they take on Bacone College at Oren Good Park #5. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. The winner meets Houston Baptist in the championship game at 2 p.m. The victor also receives an automatic bid into the NAIA Region VI tournament that will take place at Oren Good Park in Farmers Branch, Texas on May 13-14.