WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Alix Dean and Kacie Easley connected for home runs and No. 19 Angelo State took advantage of a pair of errors to race to a 9-3 win in the opening game of the best-of-3 South Central Super Regionals Friday afternoon at Mustangs Park.

The teams square off for Game No.2 Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. with the if necessary game following at 3:30 p.m.

Midwestern State, which fell to 53-9, got out to the early lead after Rambelles' starter Chelsea Nelson issued consecutive walks to Lauren Craig and Mallory Mooney to lead off the second inning.

The walks led to the first run of the game after Alyson Reynolds moved the runners to second and third before Megan Charier, who came on to run Craig, scored on Katie Petersen's RBI groundout to third base to give MSU the early 1-0.

The didn't last long, however, as ASU junior first baseman Kaycee Taylor ripped a two-out single to center field before Alix Dean blasted her eighth homer of the season over the center field fence to give the Rambelles a 2-1 advantage.

Angelo State then took advantage of a pair of MSU miscues in the top of the sixth to plate four runs as Petersen threw ball behind shortstop Natalie Rodriguez with no outs and a runner on first when Kacey Easley grounded back to the pitcher.

The Rambelles loaded the bases when Amanda Wilhelm reached sacrifice bunt that was mishandled in the infield.

Angelo Sate cashed in with a run-scoring single by Brittany Astle, a two-run single by Megan Pumphrey and a sacrifice bunt by Nicole Smith to push the Rambelle advantage to 6-1.

Angelo State tacked on three more in the seventh on a three-run blast to left by Easley before the Mustangs retaliated with a two-run pinch-hit homer by Amanda Potysman.

Nelson improved to 26-8 by holding MSU to one run on four hits in seven innings tallying two strikeouts and two walks as freshman Tressie Keilman pitched to two batters and yielded two runs in the seventh inning.

Petersen was saddled with the loss to fall to 25-5 as she allowed nine runs - five earned - on nine hits as she fanned eight and walked one.

Quotables

Angelo State

Travis Scott, Angelo State Head Coach

"We had a winning attitude from the start. We took advantage of the opportunities that were given to us and had the desire to win today. We have to come out tomorrow and do it again. We can't let down tomorrow. Midwestern State is a good team and they will be ready to win two games. It isn't over yet, but I like where we are."

Chelsea Nelson, senior pitcher

"We've been playing so hard, I didn't want to let the team down. It has seemed like we needed a hit, we got it. And every time we needed a big defensive play, either in the outfield or in the infield, we got it. We're playing really well right now and we're having fun doing it."

Midwestern State

Brady Tigert, Midwestern State Head Coach

"They were able to grab momentum early on and we were never able to recover. We were able to hit the ball hard, but we just chased too many of their pitches."

Lauren Craig, senior catcher

"We've battled them all year and we were able to overcome a large deficit against them earlier this season. We're not ready to go home yet and I feel confident we can come back and win."

Quick Notes

• Angelo State and Midwestern State are knotted a 3-3 in six games this season.
• The Rambelles have given MSU pitcher Katie Petersen three of her five losses this season.
• MSU pitcher Katie Petersen became the Lone Star Conference's all-time strikeout leader with her 870th career K when she fanned Angelo State senior outfielder Sarah DeMoss for the second out of the third inning.