ALVA, OKLAHOMA- Northwestern Oklahoma State softball opened a three game series against the Reddies of Henderson State on Friday evening with a 5-4 victory in comeback fashion on a walk-off single by Allison Zanca. Rangers trailed 4-3 before scoring two runs in the seventh for the win.
The win improves the Rangers record to 10-13 on the year with a 4-8 conference record. Henderson State drops to 6-23 with a 3-9 GAC record.
Hannah Howell started game one of the series throwing a complete game in the win for her seventh win of the season. The Ranger pitcher struck out four allowing three earned runs on nine hits.
Northwestern was led on offense by Zanca and Jayden Solberg combining for seven hits along with four RBIs in the win. Zanca finished with three hits and RBIs. Solberg went 4-4 at the plate. Abby DeTar had the other hit for Northwestern.
Howell retired the Reddies in order to start the game before the Rangers came to bat. Adams and Solberg tried to get things started, drawing a walk followed by a single but would be left on base as Henderson State escaped the jam.
The Reddies carried the momentum into their half of the inning scoring two runs in the top of the inning to get the scoring started. After two singles in the inning Trejo hit a 2-RBI double to the gap in right center scoring two runs taking a 2-0 lead. In the Rangers half of the inning Zanca tried to answer back with a double but would be left on base.
Northwestern answered back in their half of the third inning after Howell escaped damage in the top of the inning the Rangers scored three in the bottom of the third. DeTar got things started with a single followed by two stolen bases putting herself on third. Following an Adams walk Solberg ripped a single to score DeTar scoring the Rangers first run. As the Rangers kept the inning alive Zanca hit a go-ahead single scoring two runs to take their first lead of the game at 3-2.
The lead would not last for a while after back-to-back doubles by Trejo and Burch tied the game back at 3-3 in the fourth inning. Northwestern had one base runner off a walk but would be left there as the game remained tied until the sixth.
The sixth inning started with a single putting a runner on first before the Reddies took advantage of a couple Ranger miscues. Back-to-back errors would allow Henderson State's fourth run to come across the plate to take the lead at 4-3. Northwestern was retired in order heading into the last inning.
As the Rangers started their comeback Adams and Solberg started the inning like the first with a walk followed by a single to put runners on first and second nobody out. Howell reached on a Reddie error allowing the tying run to score at 4-4. With the bases loaded Zanca hit one to deep center field for a walk-off RBI single giving the Rangers the 5-4 win in game one of the series.
Northwestern will be back in action at home Saturday morning/afternoon for a doubleheader to close out the series against the Reddies. The first game will start at 11:00 AM with the second one following 30 minutes following the last pitch of game one.
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