Gruver, Texas - Oklahoma Panhandle State University softball swept its Sunday doubleheader versus Langston University, taking three-of-four in the series. The Aggies (15-9, 6-6-SAC) won the Sooner Athletic Conference twinbill over the Lions (12-15, 6-8 SAC) by scores of 6-2 and 9-5 at Gruver High School.
Panhandle State was an offensive juggernaut in the series, outscoring LU by a margin of 49-15 for the four games. Much of that can be attributed to the Aggies fast start in each game, tallying 18 runs in the first innings alone.
Sunday followed suit as OPSU put up all the runs it would need in the opening frame of game one, with five.
Jewell Lee drew a leadoff walk, followed by three-consecutive singles from
Karah Ortiz,
Brittany Thomas and
Kayli Grove, the latter of which plated Lee with the first run. The big blow was a base-clearing triple by
Jena Konieczka that made it 4-0.
Jaylinn Reyes grounded out to allow Konieczka to score the fifth run of the inning.
The Lions scored two runs in the top of the second. However, Panhandle posted its sixth run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single off the bat of
Abby Gregory.
Lee, Konieczka, and Reyes each went 2-for-3 in the game.
Meanwhile,
Kaylor Battiest (5-4) handled matters from the circle, as she allowed just the two unearned runs. Battiest struck out nine and scattered six hits, tossing the complete game.
In the second game of the game, OPSU had to work a little harder to nail down the win, despite jumping out to the 2-0 lead after one innings. Grove grooved a pitch for a two-run double that scored Reyes and Lee. Panhandle added a pair of runs in the second to lead 4-0, thanks to an RBI single from Gregory and a ground out RBI from Lee.
The Lions clawed back for a pair of runs in the top of the third, making it 4-2. But the Aggies got those runs right back in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run double from Thomas that upped the margin to 6-2.
Langston drew to within a single run by tallying three in the top of the fifth, 6-5.
In the bottom of the sixth, OPSU added three insurance runs that made it 9-5. Ortiz and Konieczka each had RBI singles, while the Aggies also chalked up a run on an LU error.
Gregory was a perfect 3-for-3, scoring twice and driving in one. Ortiz, Grove and Konieczka each went 2-for-4. Ortiz scored a run, while Thomas and Grove had two RBI, apiece.
Lindsay Jacobs went 5.0 innings to earn the win, improving her personal record to 5-4. Jacobs struck out five and did not walk a batter. Battiest tossed two innings of scoreless relief to earn her fourth save of the year.
Panhandle State will host NAIA No. 2-ranked Oklahoma City University on Monday. The doubleheader is slated for a 2 p.m. start at Aggie Softball Field.
