West Texas A&M 6, Armstrong Atlantic 5 | Final Stats | Photo Gallery | Postgame: WTAMU | Armstrong
West Texas A&M's Jessica Sipe hit a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning to help get the Buffs past Armstrong, 6-5, on the second day of the NCAA Division II Softball Championships at the Moyer Sports Complex.
West Texas A&M (58-7) had to overcome a deficit twice in the game to defeat the Pirates (36-14).
Alexis Mercer led off the game with a home run for Armstrong then Hannah Reppert recorded an RBI to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Renee Erwin promptly erased that deficit in the bottom half of the inning with a three-run home run.
Reppert again provided an RBI for Armstrong to tie the game at 3-3 in the third inning, but West Texas A&M once again had an answer in the bottom half of the inning on a Lacey Taylor ground out. The Pirates grabbed the lead again in the fourth powered by another Mercer home run, this time a two-run shot to put Armstrong up 5-4.
The Buffs started the bottom half of the sixth reaching on an error, and then worked the bases loaded with two outs bringing up Sipe who fouled off four pitches in her at-bat before dropping a single right on the third base line that scored the game-winning runs.
Rita Hokianga picked up the win in relief pitching 4.2 inings giving up two runs on three hits with five strikeouts and a pair of walks.
Armstrong's Ollivia McLemore battled in the circle giving up six runs (three earned) on five hits with five strikeouts. The Buffs worked seven walks off of McLemore as she threw 164 pitches in the game.
Peyton Roth and Andrea Dalton each contributed a pair of hits for the Pirates offense.
Valdosta State 8, Dixie State 0 (5 innings) | Final Stats | Photo Gallery | Postgame: VSU | DSU
Valdosta State rolled past Dixie State, 8-0, in five innings on Friday night on the second day of the NCAA Division II Softball Championships at the Moyer Sports Complex.
The Blazers (47-14) scored eight runs on six hits and took advantage of three Dixie State errors on its way to the victory. VSU’s Brianna Hancock (24-6) quieted the Red Storm bats allowing just one hit in five innings of work.
Shelby Altman had two hits and Morgan Butler drove in two to help pace the Blazers offense. Five other players recorded RBI for Valdosta State.
Courtney Sherwin recorded the lone hit for Dixie State (50-9). Michelle Duncan (21-2) suffered the loss going 2.1 innings giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits hits with a strikeout against four walks. Aryn Feickert pitched the final 1.2 innings giving up five runs (four earned) on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks.
Leading 3-0, Valdosta State plated five runs in the bottom of the fourth to break the game open and put the Blazers in position to shorten the game. Hancock struck out two of the final three batters to put the finishing touches on the game.