March 28, 2009

Box Score

DURANT, Okla. – A two-out error in the fifth inning by West Texas A&M led to three unearned Southeastern Oklahoma State runs, allowing the Savage Storm to defeat WTAMU, 4-2, Saturday afternoon at the SOSU Softball Complex in Durant, Okla.

The loss drops WTAMU to 26-14 overall, while SOSU improves to 35-7 overall.

Amber Farr’s base running gave the Lady Buffs an early, 1-0, lead in the third inning. She reached base on a catcher’s interference call, then, with two outs, she took second on a wild pitch, stole third base and later scored on another wild pitch.

The Savage Storm tied the game, 1-1, in the bottom half of the inning as Bailey Mathes’ two-out single drove home Benita Sanchez.

SOSU took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth, courtesy of three unearned runs. Sanchez led off with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Lady Buff pitcher Shelbey Cockrell then struck out Erika Bernal for the second out and enticed Mathes into a grounder to third. But WT third baseman Christie Russell couldn’t make the play, allowing Sanchez to score and Mathes to reach base. The next batter, Marjorie Johnson, hit a two-run home run to right center field, giving the home team a 4-1 lead.

The Lady Buffs got one run back in the top of the sixth, as Whitney Midkiff scored on an error by Mathes to make the score 4-2.

Cockrell (7-5) went the distance for the Lady Buffs, allowing nine hits over six innings, while striking out eight batters. Johnson (16-1) took the win, allowing just a single by WT’s Kasey Henderson in the seventh inning. Jami McAdoo came on in the sixth inning to earn her fifth save of the season.

The Lady Buffs will now travel to Wichita Falls, Sunday, March 29, to face Central Oklahoma in an 11 a.m. contest, then encounter host Midwestern State in a 1 p.m. game.