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March 29, 2008

Box Score

DURANT, Okla. - The West Texas A&M softball team continues to heat up despite cold temperatures in Durant, Okla., as the Lady Buffs defeated Midwestern State 4-1 and downed Cameron 7-2 on Saturday to extend their season-long winning streak to six games.

 

WT, however, could not continue the streak in the late game, falling to tournament host Southeastern Oklahoma, 4-3.

Freshman utility player Kaitlyn Witte continued her hot streak at the plate as she homered for the third time during the tournament against MSU. The Midland, Texas, stands as the Lady Buffs' single season home run leader with eight, breaking the record of six held by three players (Breanna Adams, Brooke Guidry and Marci Shepard) during the 2005 season.

In addition, junior centerfielder Rachel Cavallero is also putting her name in the WT record books, swiping a school record 31 bases this season.

The Lady Buffs will conclude play at the tournament on Sunday when they battle Central Oklahoma at Noon before returning to the field at 2 p.m. against Northeastern State.

Game #1 Recap - (West Texas A&M 4, Midwestern State 1 - Eight Innings)
For the third straight game at the crossover, the Lady Buffs were able notch a first inning run as freshman Audrey Wallace put WT up 1-0 with a RBI single in the game's opening minutes.

A sliding catch by Jessica Ruzicki saved a pair of runs and got the Lady Buffs and freshman starting pitcher Shannon O'Dea out of the bottom of the third unscathed. O'Dea (8-9) picked up the victory in the circle by throwing all eight innings of the game and not yielding an earned run.

Unfortunately for WT, a pair of errors allowed MSU to plate a run of its own, an unearned tally off O'Dea, to tie the game at 1-1.

The contest went to extra innings; where as she did for the Lady Buffs on Friday, Witte stepped up. The frame started with Cavallero placed on second base as part of the international tie-breaker rule. Following a MSU misplay in the field that placed runners at the corners with no outs, Witte came through by slamming her eighth home run of the season, a three-run shot over the wall in left.

Game #2 Recap - (West Texas A&M 7, Cameron 2)
Once again the Lady Buffs jumped out early, plating three runs in the top of the first on a three-run home run off the bat of freshman Audrey Wallace.

Following the long ball, senior pitcher Andrea Renteria went to work in the circle for WT, pitching 4.1 strong innings and allowing just one unearned runs to even her pitching record on the season to 7-7.

Cameron was able to put one run on the scoreboard with an unearned tally in the third inning, but Renteria was able to escape without further damage.

The Lady Buffs were able to regain their two-run lead in the top of the fourth as freshman Christie Russell was able to score on a throwing error.

The contest remained tight until the top of the sixth inning when a three-run home run from sophomore catcher Dani Couger secured the victory.

O'Dea entered the game in the sixth in relief of Renteria and picked up the first save of her career.

Game #3 Recap - (Southeastern Oklahoma State 4, West Texas A&M 3)

After falling behind 3-0, the Lady Buffs began the comeback trail in the top of the third inning. After back-to-back singles from Christie Russell and Jessica Ruzicki, a single from Amber Farr brought home the first WT run of the game. Ruzicki stole home for the second run.

 

WT got another run on the scoreboard in the seventh as Cavallaro scored on a dropped third strike throwing error.

 

Renteria (7-8) took the loss, yielding four runs in three innings of work before being relieved by O'Dea to start to the fourth.