BETHANY, Kan. — The Oklahoma Panhandle State softball team dropped the first two games of the series Friday at Southwestern Christian (13-7, 6-6 SAC) by scores of 11-3 and 5-1.
 
Game 1: A strong first inning featured a leadoff walk drawn by Aaliyah Dang-Gutierrez, singles from Jules Leach and Summer Marron, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Haeley Vasquez as OPSU snatched a 2-0 lead. SCU used small ball to tie it up in the bottom of the first, 2-2.
 
The Aggies reclaimed a 3-2 advantage on Marron's RBI double in the third, but the Eagles plated seven in the bottom of the frame to go ahead 10-3 before extending the margin to eight in the fourth and sealing the run-rule win.
 
Both Leach and Marron went 2-for-2 in the contest, while Leach and Gutierrez both swiped two bases.
 
Game 2: Vasquez smacked a leadoff double, Leach followed with a single and the pair executed a double steal that scored Vasquez to give the visitors a 1-0 edge in the first inning.
 
Behind ace Marin Jacobs, the 1-0 lead stood firm until the bottom of the fifth when the Eagles tied it. With two outs and the score knotted at 1-1, the Aggies could not make the necessary plays to get out of the inning as the home team notched consecutive two-run base hits, making it 5-1.
 
OPSU's lineup could not string anything together down the stretch as SCU cruised from there.
 
Jacobs struck out a season-high four batters in the loss, and Leach closed a terrific day at the plate going 2-for-3 with a double in the nightcap.
 
What's up next: Panhandle State (5-23, 3-11 SAC) concludes the series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 noon.