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February 8, 2012
Lady Tiger softball team opens season with 5-4 win over Rose State
softball
Playing in sloppy conditions, the Cowley College women’s softball team got its season underway with a 5-4 win over Rose State College Tuesday in Arkansas City.
In what was supposed to be a doubleheader, a steady rain and cold weather conditions forced the cancellation of the second game. Cowley made the most of the one game and scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Early on, it looked as if Cowley could run away with the win as freshman Haley Strawn led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run in her first collegiate at bat. The Lady Tigers would add two more runs in the inning as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
Cowley’s lead would grow to 4-0 when Austen Hilt singled home Laura Seemann with two outs in the bottom of the third inning.
With Cowley sophomore Haleigh Sills allowing only one hit in the first three innings of play, the Lady Raiders finally got to the right hander for a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and eventually tied the game at 4-4 with two more runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Cowley would regain the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Carleigh Hall singled off Rose State starting pitcher Deshea Ladd to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a single by Taylor Hatfield, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Courtney Rash and came around to score what would turn out to be the winning run on a ground out to shortstop by Colby Dresher.
Sills (1-0) made the lead stand up by tossing a 1-2-3 seventh inning as she went the distance in her first start of the season. Sills allowed six hits and three earned runs, while striking out four and walking none.
Every starter in Cowley’s lineup had at least one hit in the win as the Lady Tigers pounded out 14 hits in the victory.
“The good thing is we had 14 hits, the bad thing is we stranded 12 runners,” said Cowley head coach Ed Hargrove, who picked up his 996th win as coach of the Lady Tigers. “I think we should be a really good offensive lineup.”
Strawn went 2-for-4 in her debut and was robbed of a third hit on a diving catch by the Lady Raiders’ right fielder.
“That is kind of what we expect from Haley out of the leadoff spot all season long,” Hargrove said.
Hatfield, who led the team in batting (.423) as a freshman, picked up where she left off by going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Hall and Seemann added two hits apiece as Cowley improved to 1-0 on the season.
Cowley will now travel to Fort Worth, Texas to take part in the Cowtown Classic. On Friday, the Lady Tigers will face three Texas schools, with the first game against Trinity Valley beginning at 9 a.m. Cowley is guaranteed of playing at least two more games at the tourney on Saturday.
Playing at least five games at the tournament, Hargrove could earn his 1,000 career win at the school.
“We always go down their looking to find out where we are at as a team,” Hargrove said. “A lot will depend on the pitching.”
Score by inning: R
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