WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Kayla Bryant had three hits, and
Maegan Shannon drove in three runs as the Mustangs ended a 12-game losing streak with an exhilarating 9-8 victory over Angelo State in the final game of a three-game series at Mustangs Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Rambelles won the first two games of the series by identical 10-1 scores, including the first game of a doubleheader at Mustangs Park on Saturday. The MSU offense came to life in the nightcap.
The Mustangs took advantage of two Rambelle errors and scored three runs with the benefit of only one hit in the first inning to take a 3-1 lead.
Paige Bryant led off the second inning with a double and
Mikey Dominguez followed with a base hit. After
Bailey Brenek walked,
Kayla Bryant drove home
Paige Bryant with a single to right field. Pinch runner
Grace Martinez scored when
Allie Monroe reached on a fielder's choice. Brenek scored when Shannon grounded into a fielder's choice. MSU took a surprising 6-1 lead over the Rambelles into the third inning.
Angelo State chipped away at the Mustangs lead. Maleya Burns and Bailey Martinez drove in fourth-inning runs for the Rambelles, who added runs in the fifth and sixth innings to make it 6-5.
In the bottom of the sixth inning the Mustangs plated three more runs. Brenek drew a one-out walk and
Kayla Bryant delivered a base hit to center field. Designated player
Sydney Shimkus singled to center and advanced on a throwing error.
Chloe Bryant, running for the catcher Brenek, scored on the error. Shannon hit a two-run single to right field, and the Mustangs went ahead 9-5 as Shimkus and
Kayla Bryant scored.
Relief pitcher
Christine Billmeier got into trouble in the seventh inning. Billmeier walked Paxton Scheurer before Lindsey Evans and Ashton McMillan singled. Billmeier then walked Keilei Garcia before leaving the circle.
Jasmine Trevino faced four batters in the seventh inning to earn the save. Bailey Martinez popped up to
Kayla Bryant at second base. Trevino then hit Maleya Burns with the bases loaded, making it 9-7. Tatiana Trotter drove in McMillan with a fielder's choice.
In a seven-pitch battle, Trevino caught Ashlyn Lerma looking to end the ballgame.
Sydney Gonzales, the starting pitcher for MSU, improved to 1-3 after allowing three earned runs on three hits over four innings. Gonzales had two strikeouts and survived four walks.
Billmeier worked two innings, allowing four runs on four hits, before Trevino came in to get her first save.
Zoe Isom worked all five innings in the first game of the twin bill and allowed 10 runs on 11 hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
Lindsey Evans and Maleya Burns blasted home runs for the Rambelles, who hit four homers in the series opener. Burns finished with five RBIs and Evans drove in two for Angelo State.
Allie Monroe had two of the three hits for the Mustangs in the opener on Saturday. Shimkus had the only RBI in the loss.
Midwestern State is 2-17 with a 1-11 conference record and will visit West Texas A&M for a three-game series beginning Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Angelo State is 14-9 with a 6-6 record in the LSC and will host Texas Woman's on Tuesday.
-- MSUMustangs.com --
