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Box Score 2 Weatherford, Okla. – The NMHU Cowgirl Softball team won their first two games of the season, on Feb. 3, powering to victory in both games of their second doubleheader against the Bulldogs of Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The Bulldogs had exited the field as winners in both games of the doubleheader on Feb 2. The Cowgirls had started their season 0-2, while the Bulldogs began with a 2-0 record. Because the Cowgirls came out aggressively, they found a lot of success against the Bulldogs in each game. The Cowgirls dominated the first game of the day, winning 9-3. In the second game of the day, the Cowgirls came from behind twice to take a 13-12 victory. With the wins the Cowgirls, led by Head Coach Shellie Broyles, improve to a 2-2 record in overall play.
At high noon on Sunday, Feb. 3, the Cowgirls and Bulldogs met to decide the third game of their respective seasons. Full of regret, the Cowgirls would enter their third game against the Bulldogs with the intention of grabbing their first win of the year.
Exchanging pitches through the first and second inning, it was Bulldogs who scored first. At the beginning of the fourth inning the Bulldogs were up by one run until the Cowgirls exploded, grabbing a 6-1 lead in the inning.
The first three runs were brought in by a home run by
Tess Oliphant. The senior, from Sparks, Nev., brought in three runs and ignited a Cowgirl rally. Feeding off the momentum,
Brittany Potter hit a home run to center field for another three run score for the Cowgirls.
The Cowgirls' lead was confirmed as
Brittany Potter hit for another three run home run in the sixth inning for a score of 9-2. The Cowgirls held on to the lead through the last inning, winning the game 9-3.
After the first game the Cowgirls were very optimistic, but their hopes were taken from them as they fell behind early in game two. The Bulldogs scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning and added four more runs in the second, to take a 7-0 lead.
Just then the Cowgirls exploded for eight runs in the top of the third inning, making the score 8-7. The scoring began when
Brittany Potter singled to left field bringing
Andrea Gutierrez home.
After scoring two more runs, the Cowgirls continued the scoring with a home run by
Tess Oliphant. Oliphant cashed in three RBIs with that home run, as the Cowgirls closed the deficit to one run. The Bulldogs' pitching fell into more trouble by allowing two walks that resulted in two runs crossing the plate for the Cowgirls, giving them an 8-7 lead.
SWOSU was resilient and they fought back for the lead in the bottom of the third inning, scoring four runs and going up 11-8. The Bulldogs added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning, extending their lead to 12-8.
The Cowgirls, fueled by the thought of defeat, continued their scoring with three runs off a
Shelby Watts double in the top of the fifth inning, making the score 12-11.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Cowgirls made a stride for the win.
Lynnsey Johnson hit a double into center field, scoring two runs and claiming the 13-12 lead for the Cowgirls. The Bulldogs were unable to capitalize in the final inning, losing to the Cowgirls by the final score of 13-12.
Brittany Potter had an amazing day on offense for the Cowgirls. She had two home runs and six RBIs in game three against the Bulldogs, hitting for a 1.000 batting average and a 2.750 slugging percentage. Potter followed that up in game four by going 2-3 from the plate, with two RBIs and one run scored.
Tess Oliphant also helped the Cowgirls on offense, hitting a home run in each game.
The Cowgirls' pitcher
Jessica Brink had an impressive outing against the Bulldogs on Feb. 3. Brink pitched a complete seven innings from the pitcher's circle in game one on Sunday and earned her first victory of the year. Then she entered the second game in the bottom of the third inning and came away with her second victory of the day.
The Cowgirls will continue their season on Feb. 8 – 10 as they travel to Las Vegas, Nev. to take part in the fourth annual Desert Stinger Softball Tournament hosted by Montana State University – Billings. It is billed as the biggest NCAA DII Softball Tournament hosted by one team. The Cowgirls have been a part of this tournament since its inception. Their first game on Feb. 8 will be against Azusa Pacific University. The first pitch is set for 11:30 a.m. If you can't make it out to Las Vegas, Nev. to watch your Cowgirls in action, you can check on the
NMHU Athletics website for links to follow the game online via Live Stats.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
Click
HERE for 2013 Desert Stinger Softball Tournament Information.
