MEMPHIS, Tenn.- Not even rain and inclement weather could ultimately stop Ouachita Baptist in sweeping the opening doubleheader against Christian Brothers, 12-2 in Game 1 and a 9-1 victory in Game 2 in Gulf South Conference Softball action in Memphis, Tenn. on Monday. The second doubleheader, however, will have to be rescheduled for a later date in April.
Ouachita (11-10, 6-0 GSC West) continues to find success in GSC play, as the Lady Tigers remained perfect with the doubleheader sweep against Christian Brothers (7-16, 1-9 GSC West). It was a rough weekend weather-wise in Memphis, but the Lady Tigers found several bright spots in both Games 1 and 2.
In Game 1, Ouachita combined to score 11 runs in the second and third innings, including a two-run home run and six RBI performance from junior Alexis Johns, overpowering the Lady Bucs offensively. On the mound, senior starter Kristen Rigsbee allowed just two earned runs in a complete game victory.
It started off well in the top of the second inning for Ouachita, as Rigsbee doubled to left center to open the frame, followed by a single from sophomore Bailey Sanders, scoring Rigsbee on a throwing error for a 1-0 lead for the Lady Tigers. Freshman Teresa Mursuli followed with an RBI single to score Sanders, while freshman teammate Mallory Green singled with one out on the board.
Ouachita scored again on freshman Brianne Baley’s RBI single and Johns joined in on the action two batters later with an RBI single of her own, scoring Green and eventually bringing around Baley to score on a fielding error, stretching the lead to 5-0.
Christian Brothers answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the second, but it would be all the offense the Lady Bucs could muster in the matchup. Ouachita added six runs in the third, beginning with back-to-back singles from Rigsbee and Sanders. Mursuli loaded the bases when she reached on a fielder’s choice, followed by an RBI from junior Sara Strassemeyer when she was hit by a pitch, scoring freshman pinch runner Monica Smith.
Sophomore Megan Askew provided an RBI single to left field, scoring Mursuli for a 7-2 lead. Johns followed with a grand slam to right field, breaking the game wide open for an 11-2 advantage. A single by senior Sarah Bell would follow, but Ouachita would leave two runners on base when the smoke settled.
Johns would add another RBI one inning later in the most unlikely of ways: via a walk, as the Lady Tigers loaded the bases and Strassemeyer scored for the final margin of victory, 12-2.
The career day for Johns finished at 2-for-3 with six RBI, while Rigsbee and Sanders each recorded two hits as a part of a 12-hit day for Ouachita. Askew, Baley, Bell and Green each recorded a hit to lead Ouachita to the victory.
Rigsbee (4-5) went the distance for the win, going five innings and allowing two earned runs, while striking out seven.
For Game 2, Ouachita grabbed a 9-1 lead before rain shorted the game’s ending in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the first inning, Askew led off with a double, scoring when Rigsbee added a double three batters later for an early 1-0 lead.
Christian Brothers tied the game in the bottom of the first with a solo home run in the leadoff spot, but it wouldn’t last long, as the Lady Bucs didn’t score another run for the rest of the game.
A single by Mursuli led off the second inning, and the freshman came around to score on an RBI single from freshman Rahn House for a 2-1 lead. Mursuli added another single in the fourth, scoring on an RBI single to right field by Baley to stretch the advantage to 3-1.
Back-to-back three-run innings came for Ouachita in the fifth and sixth, as the Lady Tigers recorded singles by Bell and Mursuli in the sixth, as Mursuli drove in Bell on an RBI single. A pair of runs came in on a two-run double by House, driving in Mursuli and Rigsbee for a 6-1 score.
For the final runs of the game in the sixth, Bell added another single, scoring later on a fielding error for the first of three runs. An RBI double by Mursuli capped off the inning, scoring teammates Rigsbee and Sanders for a 9-1 victory.
House was in command throughout her outing on the mound, going 5.1 innings and allowing two hits and one earned run, with four strikeouts. Mursuli led all players with a 4-for-4 performance with two RBI and three runs. Askew, Baley, Bell and House added two-hit performances for another strong offensive performance for the Lady Tigers.
While Ouachita will have to make up the second doubleheader at a later date, Ouachita will continue with the GSC West schedule against Southern Arkansas at Sully Anderson Field on April 2 at 1 p.m.
