Wrangler Softball Sweeps Luna
The Odessa College softball team finished off the Luna Community College Lady Rough Riders, winning both games in Saturday's doubleheader on run rules by scores of 9-1 and 17-9 in Western Junior College Athletic Conference action at Wrangler Field.
The victories capped off a four-game series sweep for the Lady Wranglers (21-20 overall, 12-8 in conference) over the Lady Rough Riders (10-27, 4-16).
"We did a very good job of taking care of business as s a team and doing what we needed to do," Odessa College head coach Jeff Jackson said. "Now we know that it's about figuring out what to improve on. We need to build on the positives but we also need to clean up a few things too before we get to the conference tournament."
The Lady Wranglers started off fast, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning as Cami Deanda's double RBI single to center field scored Becca Duran and Illy Cisneros.
The Lady Rough Riders got their first hit of the game when Aiyana Gonzales singled to right field in the top of the second inning.
But that was all Luna Community College could muster in that half of the frame as the Lady Wranglers' outfield prevented the Lady Rough Riders from getting on the board.
Cisneros' single loaded the bases for Odessa College in the bottom of the second inning and Jade Laird's double RBI single to center field scored Kaitlyn Reinecke and Duran for a 4-0 Lady Wrangler advantage.
Morgyn Fulgham drew a walk and the Lady Wranglers had the bases loaded again.
Rianna Salgado was then hit by a pitch, bringing home Cisneros for a run and a 5-0 lead.
The Lady Rough Riders then made a pitching change, bringing on Dyani Cummings-Lani to replace Dominque Guidry in the circle.
Laird's sacrifice fly scored Deanda with the game still in the second inning.
Zaccardo's double RBI on a Luna Community College error scored Fulgham and Salgado.
Zaccardo then scored on a wild pitch from Luna Community College for a 9-0 Odessa College lead.
After holding the Lady Wranglers to without a run in the third inning, the Lady Rough Riders managed to bet on the board in the top of the fourth with a triple by Gonzales scored Taylor Quintana.
The Lady Wranglers couldn't add more to their lead but they were able to hold on for the early run rule victory.
Ashlea Ortega got things rolling for the Lady Rough Riders in game two, scoring on an RBI double to left field by Quintana.
Andrea Hernandez doubled Luna Community College's lead on a single by Aiyana Gonzales.
A sacrifice by Olyvia Dominguez scored Quintana and the Lady Rough Riders had a 3-0 lead.
Reinecke tripled out to left field in the bottom of the first inning for the Lady Wranglers.
Reinecke scored on a single by Cisneros to put Odessa College on the board and Duran got on third.
With Fulgham up to bat, a wild pitch from Luna Community College's Sabrynn Chacon ended up scoring Duran.
Cisneros earned a run on a bases-loaded walk by Salgado and the Lady Wranglers tied the game up at 3-3.
Fulgham then scored on a sacrifice fly by Zaccardo to put the Lady Wranglers in front.
It wasn't long before Salgado scored on an error by Cummings before the inning was over to give Odessa College a 5-3 advantage.
After Cisneros got hit by a pitch, the Lady Wranglers had the bases loaded.
Deanda singled on a pop fly to left field, scoring Duran and Reinecke.
Fulgham hit her third home run in two days with a hammer over the center left field fence with Deanda on base to give the Lady Wrangler a 10-3 lead.
"Morgyn does a great job," Jackson said. "She's not seeing the ball too well right now but she's still able to produce. She might be in a slump but even the best hitters find a way to get the job done so it's great to see her produce."
The Lady Rough Riders then made a pitching change, bringing in Guidry to replace Chacon.
July Hernandez homered over the left field fence to leadoff the bottom of the third inning for Odessa College.
With the bases loaded, a wild pitch from Luna Community College scored Duran before the end of the third, giving the Lady Wranglers a 12-3 lead.
Ortega doubled on a fly ball and Jackie Delgado scored.
Ortega then scored on a single by Andrea Hernandez.
In the bottom of the fourth, Duran's three-run homer over the left fence pushed Odessa College to a 15-5 lead.
The Lady Rough Riders responded in the top of the fifth with three runs and added one more in the sixth.
"We got hits, we just didn't get the big hits that we needed in that second game," Luna Community College head coach Mark Mattox said. "We got singles and doubles but they were hitting the ball out of the ballpark."
But Odessa College closed the game when Cisneros doubled on a ground ball to left field, scoring Hernandez and Duran to finish the series.
"As far as our defense goes, I'm happy with where we've come as a whole unit," Jackson said. "We've done a good job of minimizing mistakes. We have got to be better on our pitches. It doesn't matter if we are up big or not. We cannot give up runs. That's the mentality that we need to work on."
The Lady Wranglers will next face Western Texas College in a four-game series, starting with a doubleheader on Friday at home.
ARTICLE BY- MICHAEL BAUER: ODESSA AMERICAN