WEATHERFORD, Okla. – SWOSU Softball earned a rivalry split against Northwestern Oklahoma State on Tuesday in front of a season-best crowd during their 'Pack the Park' event at the Athletic Complex.
SWOSU (17-27, 11-23 GAC) now plays their final eight games of the regular season on the road, beginning this weekend at Ouachita.
SWOSU 6, Northwestern Okla. 4
Taya Haney bookended a complete game in the pitching circle with three-run home runs in the bottom of the second and sixth innings to lead the Bulldogs past Northwestern in the opening game.
The Rangers scored once in the top of the second, but SWOSU quickly responded as Sidney Kirk and Kenedi Jackson singled, setting up Haney's first dinger, a three-run shot over the wall in right center to put the Dawgs on top 3-1.
That's where the score would remain until the sixth inning, when Northwestern took the lead with three unearned runs that made it 4-3. SWOSU again had the answer, however, with Kirk getting a single and Miranda McDonald reaching on a walk to set the stage for Haney's second long ball of the day as the Bulldogs regained the lead for good. Haney then set the Rangers down in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.
SWOSU had eight hits in the game, led by a 3-for-3 outing from Kirk and two hits apiece from Haney and Jackson. In addition to her stellar offensive game, Haney pitched allowed four runs – only one earned – on four hits with six walks while surrendering six walks in the complete-game effort.
Northwestern Okla. 7, SWOSU 5
SWOSU led after five innings, but would surrender three runs in the final two frames while two critical baserunning errors led to double plays and halted the Bulldogs offensive threats.
Sidney Kirk got things going offensively with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, but Northwestern quickly took their first lead with two runs on four hits in the second. Taya Haney answered back for the Dawgs in the second with an RBI single to left field, scoring Miranda West to tie the game at 2-2 after two innings.
In the third inning, Northwestern scored two runs on three hits, chasing SWOSU's starting pitcher Taylor Eaves from the game and bringing on Rileigh Ricken in relief. Ricken (2-8) limited the Rangers to just one hit in the fourth and fifth innings, allowing the Bulldogs to take the lead with a three-run homer from Samantha Householder in the bottom of the fifth that made it 5-4.
An error from SWOSU in the sixth led to the game-tying run, but SWOSU had two runners on with one out in the bottom of the sixth before Tori Hawk lined into a double play to end the inning. The go-ahead runs were scored on a two-run homer by Northwestern in the seventh, but SWOSU again had two runners on in the seventh, this time with no outs, when Miranda West fouled out to the catcher and Householder was doubled up at first base.
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