WICHITA - Newman Softball played their first true home games of the season on Tuesday, hosting Northwestern Oklahoma State for a midweek double header.
The games were originally scheduled to be played in Alva, Oklahoma, but some stadium renovations at the Rangers home stadium forced a change in schedule.
Newman had not played a game since the end of February, defeating Wayne State in the final game of the Washburn Invitational.
Game 1
Newman got off to a quick start to open the day, scoring a run early in the first inning.
Malie Noda's fielders choice led to an odd scoring play, where two runners were ruled out with bases loaded while
Gianna Navarro made a very close slide into home base that could have seen three outs.
The Rangers responded with a big second inning, scoring four runs.
Navarro scored her second run of the game after
Hayley Bonython's double sailed into the left field.
Two more runs gave the Rangers a 6-2 lead, but the Jets still had some fight in them.
Newman got back into the game with a
Danielle Rodriguez single that brought home
Lauren McNaught. Another fielder's choice play from Noda got
Anissa Ramos her first run of the day, with Newman trailing 6-4 going into the final two innings.
Two walked runs came in the sixth with the bases loaded, and one more run in the top of the seventh secured a Jets loss to the Rangers.
Bonython had two hits with an RBI, while Navarro had two hits and scored two runs.
Game 2
The Jets had a tougher start to the second game, going down 5-0 after just two innings. One of the biggest plays from either team came from the Rangers where they scored three of their five runs in the opening innings.
A Rodriguez hit scored
AJ Borja, which was the only Newman run of the game.
Several doubles and an error allowed Northwestern Oklahoma State to go up big and would end up winning by the run rule in the fith inning.
Bonython again finished with two runs, giving her four hits across both games in six plate appearances.
The Jets will start their MIAA schedule on Friday, as they will host Empoira State and Washburn over the weekend in Wichita.
