The Angelo State Rambelles softball team forced a winner-take-all final game after defeating Central Oklahoma 12-3 in game one, but could not keep the momentum going as they fell to the Bronchos 11-3 in the final game of the NCAA Division II South Central Super Regional tournament Saturday at the ASU Softball Complex.
Angelo State (48-11) just missed out on winning its third South Central Regional championship in four years as the loss brings the 2012 season to an end. The loss also ends the college careers of five Rambelle players who were instrumental to the program; seniors Elsamartina Apo, Claire Molina, Jasmaine Moore and DeeshanaLynn Tafiti and junior Chelsey Walters as the Odessa native prepares for chiropractic school.
Game 1: Angelo State 12, Central Oklahoma 3
Central Oklahoma jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in game one thanks to a three-run home run by Kacie Edwards in the bottom of the first inning, but Angelo State slowly crept back into the game down 2-3 before a 10-run explosion in the top of the fifth game forced the final game.
With the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, Tafiti was hit by a pitch forcing the first run of the inning tying the game at 3-3 before a throwing error by the Bronchos added another run by the Belles, 4-3.
Apo then added her 10th homer of the season pushing the lead to 7-3. ASU tacked on another run before Morgan Spearman hit her eighth home run of the 2012 campaign increasing the Belles lead to 11-3. Apo would bat in another run as the Angelo State quickly took control of the game.
With more than enough run support, Belles pitcher Mary Kate McKay earned her 22th win of the season as the sophomore went all five innings and struck out five batters.
Edwards had her 18th homer of the season in that first inning, but UCO would not score again as the pitchers Rachel Steverson and Amanda McClelland gave up a combined 13 hits on the day with McClelland suffering the loss (18-2).
Game 2: Central Oklahoma 11, Angelo State 3
Central Oklahoma again took an early advantage over the Belles with Edwards being the catalyst with a single to center field that scored Kayce Raines put UCO up 1-0 after the first inning.
The Bronchos would increase their cushion to 3-0 after the bottom of the second before ASU responded with two runs of its own in the top of the fourth pulling within one, 2-3.
The Belles would tie the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth on a Kacie Easley single to right field, but would not muster any runs after that as UCO responded with three runs in the bottom.
After a scoreless top of the sixth for Angelo State, the Bronchos added to their lead with five more runs forcing the run rule after Devyn Frazier doubled and drove in two runs ending the game at 11-3.
Both Molina and McKay pitched in the game for the Rambelles with Molina earning the start, but McKay suffering the loss (22-6).
Steverson rebounded to earn the win (26-5) for Central Oklahoma who advances to the NCAA D-II Championship next week.