SWOSU Sports
Doug Self, Sports Information Director
ALVA – SWOSU Softball and Northwestern Oklahoma State each got the better of their rival on Wednesday evening in Alva, with both teams on the winning side of a run-rule victory as the teams split a doubleheader at the Alva Recreation Complex.
SWOSU (12-22, 6-18) concludes their 10-game road trip and will now play their next 10 games at the Athletic Complex, beginning on Friday as they open a four-game conference series against Oklahoma Baptist.
Northwestern Oklahoma State 11, SWOSU 3 (5 inn.)
Box Score
Things started promising for the Bulldogs in the opener as Northwestern walked the bases loaded for cleanup hitter Taya Haney, who delivered with a two-run double to center field. Tori Hawk followed that with an RBI groundout, putting SWOSU up 3-0 after the first half-inning.
From that point on, however, it was all Northwestern as the Rangers limited SWOSU to just one hit over the final four frames while scoring one run in the first inning, three in the second and third and invoking the run-rule with four runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Haney (3-8) started the game in the pitching circle and threw 3.0 innings, allowing 10 runs – eight earned – on seven hits and took the decision.
SWOSU 14, Northwestern Oklahoma State 6 (6 inn.)
Box Score
The Bulldogs trailed 3-0 after four innings but erupted for all 14 of their runs in the final two frames to invoke the run-rule against the Rangers. SWOSU scored 10 runs in the fifth inning – highlighted by a one-out grand slam from Samantha Householder – then added four more runs in the top of the sixth to put the game away.
The 10-run fifth inning featured a two-run single from Taya Haney, RBI single by Miranda West, two-run single from Tori Hawk and RBI single from Allyson Gafford leading up to Householder’s bases-clearing blast. When the dust had settled, the Dawgs had plated 10 runs on eight hits while also taking advantage of two NWOSU errors.
In the sixth inning, Gafford came back with a two-run single and Keanni Barron scored on a wild pitch before Cheyenne Trotter brought Gafford home with a sacrifice fly to give SWOSU enough of a margin for the run rule.
Taylor Eaves struggled early, but remained strong throughout and earned the victory – improving to 4-8 on the year – after allowing six runs on eight hits in a complete-game effort in the circle.