HOUSTON, Tex. – The Regis University softball team wrapped up its trip down to Texas on Sunday, following a four-game stretch between Saturday and Sunday.
The Rangers posted a 2-4 record over the weekend, splitting Day One against St. Edward's and St. Mary's, and dropping both games on Sunday against Rogers State University and the University of Texas at Tyler.
SATURDAY | GAME 1 (St. Edward's)
The Hilltoppers (1-4 overall) jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the third, but the Rangers answered with a run of their own in the fifth thanks to a single from junior infielder Miia Campos that scored freshman utility Rachel Barriga.
Junior pitcher Kylie Harpman earned her first win of the season by limiting St. Edward's to only one run with three strikeouts and six hits.
In the seventh, the Rangers scored five runs thanks to sophomore outfielders Sienna Reed and Olivia Wick putting together three RBIs while Campos hit a triple that earned her her second and third RBIs of the game.
I'm so proud of how this team came out with the right mindset and executed everything we needed to," said Regis softball head coach, Nicole Thompson. "Kylie was so impressive on the mound and really gave us the momentum and the defense played great behind her and that is what you need to do with teams like this. Offensively, we stuck with our game plan the whole time and made the adjustments when we needed to. We got runners on, moved them over, and came up with clutch hits. We faced a really good pitcher and this group stepped up to the plate toe-to-toe with her."
SATURDAY | GAME 2 (St. Mary's)
The second game of the day ended in heartbreak as St. Mary's quickly scored seven within the first three innings, but that scoring quickly slowed and the Rangers bounced back.
Junior first baseman Morgan Norris hit her first home run of the weekend in the fourth to put two on the board to bring the total to three thanks to a Campos single in the first that scored Wick.
In the sixth, the Rattlers (3-2 overall) were plagued with defensive errors that allowed the Rangers to put another two-spot on the board. St. Mary's scored the inning previously, but their two errors in the sixth put Regis within striking distance down only one run, 6-7.
Regis seized the lead in the seventh thanks to two RBIs from junior utility Rachel Williams and Campos, while Wick reached on fielder's choice to put another run across.
Tied at 9-9 in the bottom of the seventh, the Rattlers stole the win with a sacrifice fly and a double.
"They took the momentum early but there was never a let down with this group and they battled and fought until the very end," Thompson said. "We gave ourselves a chance to win and just came up short. But I'm so proud of our pitching staff, we needed everyone on deck. Alexis really kept us in that game. We put up some runs in some very important innings. Our hitters 1-9 were huge contributors. We rolled over the top when needed, moved runners, worked for counts and had some huge hits. MC got us on the board first, Morgan was timely with her home run and Wick came in later in the game with a big triple."
SUNDAY | GAME 1 (Rogers State University)
The Rangers were able to limit one of the top teams in the country to only two runs. Rogers State's (5-1 overall) runs were the result of untimely errors from the Rangers.
Campos finished 3-3 in the game with two hits and a walk while freshman pitcher Ava Edwards got the start allowing two runs on five hits, and struck out seven.
SUNDAY | GAME 2 (UT Tyler)
The Patriots (4-1 overall) struck first in the first inning, but the Rangers were able to keep their bats quiet until the fifth.
Regis was able to score a run of its own thanks to a triple from Reed in the third.
In the fifth, both offenses exploded with two runs each to tie the game at 3-3 going into the sixth.
The Rangers' runs came from a Patriot error and Campos' sixth RBI of the weekend.
Unfortunately for the Rangers, UT Tyler scored three in the bottom of the sixth and were unable to answer with any runs of their own in the seventh.
TOURNAMENT NOTES
UP NEXT
The Rangers return to Texas as they travel to San Angelo, Tex. to play in the ASU George and Ola McCorkle Challenge hosted by Angelo State University to take on Texas A&M International University and ASU.
