BOX SCORE

SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Angelo State softball team the series opener to No. 1 West Texas A&M 9-6 on Thursday night at the ASU Softball Complex.
 
The Rambelles (22-10, 7-3) took the lead in the bottom of the first and bottom of the fourth but West Texas A&M (27-2, 9-1) would answer ASU's charge each time.
 
Angelo State was trying to regain the lead for the third time in the sixth inning down 7-5 and would claw back with a run after Lanie Robinson scored on a fielder's choice. Kacie Easley would get hit by a pitch to load the bases but WT's Lauren Heinrich would get out of the jam to keep it 7-6.
 
The Lady Buffs would tack on two insurance runs in the seventh to make the final score 9-6.
 
West Texas A&M took an early 1-0 lead after a double scored Brittany Gehle.
 
Angelo State responded with three big runs in the bottom of the first inning. Morgan Spearman and Maddy McGarity led the inning off with singles before Easley reached on an error that scored Spearman. Lauren Smith would get hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rachel Moore would earn a walk to plate McGarity and Darian Dunn would hit a grounder to short to score Easley.
 
Down 3-1 the Lady Buffs would respond with three runs on three hits off of Rambelle starter Mary Kate McKay to take a 4-3 after two innings. McKay was credited with the loss and moves to 8-7 on the season. She went the distance giving up 16 hits but was able to strike out four.
 
The Rambelles would score two runs to regain the lead in the fourth. Darian Dunn and Lanie Robinson scored on a two-RBI single to left center by Spearman, who went 3-3 on the day.
 
The 5-4 lead wouldn't last long as West Texas A&M would three runs in the fifth on five hits including four singles and a triple. Alyssa Lemos went 4-4 on the night with three RBI's and scoring two runs.
 
ASU would battle back as Robinson would score on a fielder's choice to make it 7-6 in the sixth.
 
Hannah Newcomb earned the win in five innings of work and Heinrich was credit with the save by only allowing one run.
 
The Rambelles and Lady Buffs will return to the diamond for a doubleheader tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the ASU Softball Complex.