The unpredictable Canyon weather provided Lady Buff softball with a summer-like series on March 23-24 for Military Appreciation Weekend against No. 1 Angelo State. The weekend would prove to be another history-making one for WTAMU as senior Kim LeComte became the all-time leader in runs scored in the Lone Star Conference on Friday with 208 runs.
The first of the three game series at Lady Buff Yard set the stage as Meghan Slattery had an RBI triple in the bottom of the third. Mallory Wyatt had a sacrifice fly to make the lead 2-0. Marci Womack kept Angelo State scoreless, picking up a complete game shutout with only seven hits and no walks. The 2-0 win was Womack’s 10th win of the year.
“I think we’ve kind of found our mark and we’re clicking now,” Catcher Meghan Brown said. “In the beginning, we had a lot of different girls from a lot of different places and were finding out who we are. Now we are just starting to come in to who we are.”The second game on Friday proved to be more competitive with the Belles making the first move, scoring two runs, including a leadoff homerun in the top of the first inning. ASU had a 3-0 lead going to the bottom of the second inning until Mercedes Garcia had an RBI single to bring Meghan Brown in to home plate for a run.
Even though the Belles added more runs to their tally, LeComte made history when tying the game at 5-5. In the end though, ASU pulled off the win when the team scored two in the sixth to take a 7-5 lead. The Lady Buffs attempted to answer back in the two remaining innings but Amber Spencer picked up the 7-5 loss in the circle with seven runs on eight hits and four walks.
The third game of the series brought home a definite winner of the series and 305 fans showed up for the Saturday afternoon game. Angelo State made the first moves, getting three runs in the first four innings to take a 3-0 lead. However, Renee Erwin would change the momentum, getting WT’s first run of the day on a Lacey Seidl sacrifice bunt.
The Lady Buffs took the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Meghan Brown sent one to left center field to bring Alyssa Lemos and LeComte home for a 4-3 lead. Womack wouldn’t let Angelo come back, ending the game with six outs to pick up the series win. Womack recorded three runs in seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts for a complete game win.
“We played great defense all weekend,” Head Coach Kevin Blaskowski said. “Mercedes Garcia was inserted into the line-up in the second game and [Saturday] and made some huge plays. I’m really proud of the way our defense is playing right now.”
The Lady Buffs return to the field on March 27 in Lubbock for a doubleheader against Lubbock Christian at 2 p.m before heading to Abilene Christian for a three-game series next weekend.
“Playing [Abilene Christian] is always a good time,” Pitcher Marci Womack said. “Hopefully we carry this weekend and use it as momentum to carry into Tuesday and next weekend. It will be a great week for us.”
