DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern Oklahoma State clinches the series over Northwestern Oklahoma State with a sweep of Friday's doubleheader behind dominant pitching.
The Savage Storm took game one of the twin bill 6-1, recording three home runs and getting a season-high 13 strikeouts from
Trinity Oden. SE followed with a shutout in game two, thanks to six punchouts by
Emily Simmons, and
Sage Harlow notched a two-run home run.
GAME ONE: SE 6, NWOSU 1
Northwestern Oklahoma State struck first in the top of the second with a solo shot, and the Storm replied with a homer of their own off that bat of
India McMurray to tie the game 1-1. SE looked to add more runs later in the fame with runners on first and second, but the Rangers limited the damage, getting the final out.
After trading runs in the second, both teams were held scoreless in the third and fourth innings, but the Storm soon found a breakthrough in the fifth, scoring two runs to take the lead. A lead-off single by
Sage Harlow set up a two-run home run over the center field wall by
Iliana Olivares to give SE a 3-1 advantage.
SE added to its lead in the bottom of the sixth, plating three more runs on four hits. With runners on second and third with no outs, Harlow ripped a single to left center to score the first run, and on the next at-bat, Olivares recorded an RBI ground out to make it 5-1.
Emily Simmons brought in the final run, lacing a single up the middle to score Harlow and stretch the gap to 6-1.
After giving up the solo shot in the top of the second, starting pitcher
Trinity Oden locked in and held the Rangers to three hits the rest of the way, with a season-high 13 strikeouts to improve to 3-3 in the circle. Olivares went 3-of-4 at the plate with three runs batted in and one run scored. McMurray, Harlow and
Kennedy Morgan all finished with two hits for the game.
GAME TWO: SE 5, NWOSU 0
Southeastern opened the scoring with a run in the first after an error by the Rangers' right field, which allowed
Sabetha Sands to score after reaching on a single. The Storm broke things open in the following inning, scoring three runs in the second to extend their edge to 4-0.
A knock by
Kasey Simmons, followed by a hit by pitch from Morgan, set up a two-run shot by Harlow to extend the blue and gold's lead to four runs. SE made three straight innings with a run in the bottom of the third, with an RBI single down the right field line by Morgan to plate
Laci Larsen for the fifth run of the game, 5-0.
Starting pitcher E. Simmons kept up her strong outing, throwing four more scoreless innings to secure the 5-0 win. Simmosn finished the day with six strikeouts and five hits allowed, while the Storm tallied seven hits at the plate, led by Harlow with two hits and three runs batted in.
Southeastern (10-11, 3-5 GAC) plays for the sweep tomorrow, with first pitch set for 10 a.m. from the Southeastern Softball Complex.
