Goodwell, OK. — The Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggie softball team opened their four-game road series against Nelson University with a split decision on Saturday, dropping the opener 6-2 before bouncing back in extra innings to claim a thrilling 9-8 win in game two.
Game 1: Nelson 6, OPSU 2
Despite a clean defensive game with no errors, the Aggies couldn't overcome a strong mid-game surge from the host Nelson University. After OPSU tied the game 1-1 in the second inning with an RBI single from Kaylynn Du Preez, the Lions responded with a four-run fourth inning to pull ahead for good.
Pitcher Marin Jacobs took the loss, allowing 10 hits but keeping the Aggies in the game with minimal free passes. Summer Marron's double in the sixth set the table for a groundout RBI from Gracie Lankford, pulling the Aggies within three, but Nelson added an insurance run in the bottom half to seal it.
Marin Jacobs and Mia Cavallini collected hits, while OPSU swiped three bags on the day thanks to Haeley Vasquez, Jacobs, and Lankford.
Game 2: OPSU 9, Nelson 8 (8 innings)
Game two was a rollercoaster of momentum swings and clutch moments, capped by Lankford's eighth-inning bunt single that brought home the go-ahead run after Halle Zupan crossed the plate on a passed ball. The Aggies' offense exploded for five runs in the third and added two more in the sixth to pull ahead 8-6, but Nelson battled back to tie it in the seventh.
Marin Jacobs rebounded from her earlier loss to earn the win in relief, helping her cause with a hit and two RBIs. Zupan sparked the offense with a two-run double in the third and finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored. Marron delivered a clutch two-RBI single in the sixth, and Du Preez continued to set the tone atop the lineup, scoring twice.
Defensively, the Aggies were again flawless with no errors, and the team matched Nelson's 10-hit total in a gritty effort from start to finish.
Upcoming
The Aggies return to action Tuesday to wrap up the four-game series with a doubleheader against Nelson. The first pitch of game three is scheduled for noon.
