GOODWELL, Okla. — Starting a final weekend of the regular season that was going to involve playing, dodging weather and scoreboard watching, the Newman softball team picked up a win and had another game suspended to start a Heartland Conference series at Oklahoma Panhandle State Friday.
The Jets (17-33, 10-9 Heartland) rallied for three runs in the sixth inning to close out the Aggies (13-38, 0-19 Heartland) in the opener, but after one rain delay and resumption of the second game of the day, the skies opened up again and the contest was suspended in the top of the second inning.
With the other six teams in the league only needing to play one more game on Saturday, St. Mary's locked up the regular season championship and No. 1 seed, while Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma Christian sealed berths and top-four seeds.
St. Edward's and the Jets, and possibly Texas A&M International, will be fighting for the last one or two spots.
Newman got to work quickly in Friday's first game, as Erin Jankiewicz and Jensen Cromer singled in runs on singles, and another scored on an error to make it 3-0. Two more errors allowed the Jets to score again and make it 4-2 in the top of the fifth, but the Aggies jumped in front with a big response in the bottom of the frame.
Right back at it in the sixth, an error allowed Newman to tie it up at 5-5, and Mikayla Medbery came up with the clutch hit of the game, knocking a two-run single to right that proved to be the difference.
Kate Smith came in to close out the last two innings, and although she allowed a base runner in both the sixth and the seventh, she shut it down to seal the win.
Medbery, Cromer and Delaney Hiegert all put up a pair of hits in the game.
The second game was all Newman at the start, as they scored three in the first inning and seven more in the second before the game was halted with the guests leading 10-0 with runners at the corners and one out. Medbery and Alyssa Taylor already had two hits, and Cromer two RBIs, in the game, which will count as long as the teams are able to complete the game.
Saturday's forecast in Goodwell, Oklahoma calls for a blast of snow and temperatures in the 30s. Updates on the continuation of Game 2 and the start of the series finale will be provided.
