AUSTIN, Texas - Concordia Texas junior infielder Emily Schmuck tied the program's single-game record for RBIs with seven in the game two victory of the University of the Ozarks. Starting pitchers Caitlyn Rangel and Delaney Loosemore both tossed complete games as the Tornados won game one 6-3 and game two 14-4 inside of Tornado Softball Field on Thursday.
GAME ONE: W, 6-3
Concordia utilized threes hits and an error to jump out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Eagles got two runners in scoring position in the second inning, but the Tornados kept them to no runs.
CTX added to the lead in the third when Megan Hooper smashed a RBI-triple to centerfield to score and make it 4-0.
The Eagles loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth. Concordia secured two outs, but an error on a pop-up scored two for a 4-2 score.
The Tornados pushed their lead to 5-2 when a base hit by Cristina Ayala brought home Emma Chavez in the fourth. The Ozarks once again put two runners in scoring position in the top of the sixth, but Rangel and the Concordia defense recorded two straight groundouts to retire the inning. Kyle Denaro led off the bottom of the inning with a triple to left center, before a Hooper sacrifice-fly brought her home for an insurance run.
The Eagles tallied one run on back-to-back hits in the final inning, but Concordia would record three straight outs for the win.
BOX SCORE STANDOUTS
Megan Hooper 3 RBIs, 1 Hit
Cristina Ayala 2 Hits, 1 RBI, 1 Run, 1 BB
Caitlyn Rangel 6 Ks, 4 Hits Allowed, Complete Game
GAME TWO: W, 14-4 (Five Innings)
The Ozarks struck first thanks to an extra-bases throwing error. Looking to respond in the bottom of the inning, CTX used three base hits to load the bases and Schmuck cleared them with a RBI-triple up the right field line for a 3-1 advantage. Emily Moses would then step up to the plate and bring home Schmuck to make it 4-1.
In the next inning, Zalexis Perez and Matthews used savvy base running to go up 6-1. Schmuck would then send Denaro home to extend the lead to 7-1.
Concordia's lead reached 9-1 after Ayala and Denaro scored on a pair of fielder's choices in the third. In the same inning, CTX added four more runs as the six runs in the frame was the most in a single inning this season.
The Ozarks would get back two of the moss runs in the fourth, but Schmuck answered in the bottom of the fourth when she earned her seventh RBI to bring home Ayala. Needing four runs to keep the game going, the Eagles could only score one as the Tornados earned their first run-rule victory of the season.
BOX SCORE STANDOUTS
Emily Schmuck 7 RBIs (Ties Program's Single-Game Record), 4 Hits (Career-High), 2 Runs
Cristina Ayala 4 Runs, 3 Hits, 2 RBIs (All Career-Highs)
Mindy Matthews 3 Runs, 2 Hits
Kylie Denaro 2 Hits, 2 Runs, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Concordia Texas will now conclude the series with the Ozarks on Saturday. FIrst pitch is set for 12 p.m.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the CTX softball program, follow us on social media (@ctxathletics) and visit athletics.concordia.edu
