MESQUITE, Texas — The offense was getting on base and picking up early leads, but the Newman softball team suffered a pair of defeats on the first day of the North Texas Softball Bash Friday, falling 10-4 to Texas A&M-Commerce and 7-5 to Midwestern State.
TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE
Key Sequence
The Jets jumped out to an early lead against the Lions (7-1), but Commerce responded quickly, pushing seven runs across in the bottom of the first to take the lead right back. Two hits and two Newman errors helped put up the big number.
How It Happened
-Delaney Hiegert walked to lead off the game, stole second, and came around to score on Emma Eck's double to left to put a fast end to the shutout. Taylor Mannis singled in Eck to make it 2-0, but the Lions answered with their big inning.
-Another leadoff walk helped the Jets score in the fourth, as Bayley Horsch picked up the free pass and worked her way around the bases. The pattern continued in the fifth, when Eck started the frame with a walk and scored on Paige Wallace's fielder's choice.
-Pitcher Nique Payne had a solid middle four innings, allowing just a pair of singles over that stretch.
MIDWESTERN STATE
Key Sequence
Another crooked number would cancel out an early Jet lead in the nightcap, as the Mustangs (5-2) put up five runs on four hits in the fifth to turn a three-run deficit into a lead. The crushing blow was a two-run double and RBI single that pushed across three unearned runs with two outs.
How It Happened
-Abbey Davis led off the second inning with a double, scoring with two outs on a Lacey Colvin single to stake the Jets to the first lead of the afternoon. Newman scored single runs in three straight innings to build a lead, going up 2-0 after Bailey Bugner doubled in the third and scored on Mannis' sacrifice fly.
-After MSU tied things at 2-2 in the bottom of the third, the Jets got two hits with two outs, as Bugner knocked in Hiegert after the latter singled. In the fifth, Davis once again doubled to start an inning, and was pinch ran for by Wallace, allowing a wacky play in which Mannis reached base and scored on a Mustang error to put the Jets ahead 5-2.
-The offense couldn't quite get things clicking again after falling behind in the fifth, getting a pair of two-out walks in the seventh but not being able to push the runners around to score.
NOTES
-The Jets had five doubles in their 10 hits against Midwestern State, with Bugner and Davis each notching a pair.
-Davis had a big day at the plate, finishing 5-for-6 with two walks and three runs scored.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Jets continue their time in Texas Saturday afternoon, facing No. 10 Southern Arkansas and Texas A&M-Kingsville in another twinbill.
