CLARKSVILLE, Ark. – The Concordia Texas softball team, led by
Erica Riley with five hits and three RBIs, split the doubleheader with Ozarks, taking the series opener 7-4 but falling 6-4 in game two on Friday.
Riley went 5-of-8 with three RBIs, a double and two stolen bases on the day. The shortstop recorded four of those hits in game two, marking her seventh multi-hit game of the season, and belted her ninth double of the year.
In game one, Concordia Texas took an early 5-0 lead and held off a late comeback effort from the Eagles, ultimately winning 7-4.
The Tornados supplied power numbers at the plate in the game, recording four extra-base hits including a pair of homers from Kylie Pavliceck and
Nadia Lopez. Each homer marked the first in each freshman's career.
Bailey Tisdale earned her fifth win of the year, limiting the Eagles to two earned runs and striking out eight in a complete game of work.
After two scoreless innings, back-to-back hits from Pavliceck and
Zaleigh Perez put a pair of runners on, and an RBI fielder's choice from the bat of
Emily Schmuck plated the first run of the day. Next,
Megan Hooper belted a two-RBI double, and Riley capped off the inning with her first RBI base knock of the day. After two and a half innings, CTX led 4-0.
Pavliceck added another run to the CTX total in the third, blasting a solo big fly to extend the lead to 5-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Ozarks came back with a two-run homer, bringing the score to 5-2.
Lopez delivered the second CTX homer in the sixth, and
Ellie Congalton scampered home for another run on a UO error, pushing the lead to 7-2.
The Eagles threatened in the seventh, pushing across a pair of runs on a two-RBI triple, but Tisdale recovered and punched out the final batter. The Tornados secured a 7-4 victory in the opening game.
In game two, the Tornados took a 3-0 lead early on, but a three-run UO homer in the third sparked a comeback, and CTX fell 6-4 in the nightcap.
Caylee Spangle recorded a season-high three hits from the leadoff spot, and Riley picked up four hits and a pair of RBIs in the game. Schmuck also turned in a solid performance at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
The Tornados offense was firing from the start, taking a 2-0 first inning lead thanks to a two-RBI double from Riley.
In the third inning, CTX was on the board again as Congalton brought Schmuck home on an RBI groundout. Heading into the bottom of the third, the Tornados led 3-0.
The Eagles bounced back in the third inning, evening the score with a three-run blast.
Ozarks' first lead of the day came in the bottom of the fourth. A pair of RBI knocks put them ahead 5-3 heading into the fifth.
Cristina Ayala checked in as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning and belted a one-out two-bagger, and she eventually came around to score on a UO error, cutting into the lead and bringing the score to 5-4.
A solo homer added to the Ozarks' run total, pushing the lead to 6-4 entering the final inning.
Schmuck and Riley led off the seventh with back-to-back hits, but the next three hitters were retired in order to end the game. In game two, the Tornados fell 6-4.
Concordia Texas will play the rubber match on Saturday, deciding the series with an 11 a.m. finale in Clarksville, Ark. at Hurie Softball Field.
