The East Central University softball team opened its Great American Conference road series against Ouachita Baptist University with a 6-2 win before falling 11-3 in game two to split the doubleheader Friday afternoon.
ECU got the scoring going in game one after Elyse LeClair reached on a fielding error and eventually made it across home plate from Megan Lesko's groundout to take a 1-0 lead.
After three scoreless innings, Ouachita found the board in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game 1-1.
The orange and black Tigers quickly answered back in the fifth with back-to-back singles from Megan Lesko and Gabi Quintanilla that quickly got them into scoring positions. After advancing to second and third on the throw, Miranda Garza's sac fly sent Lesko home, and a wild pitch scored Quintanilla to regain the lead 3-1.
ECU kept the scoring going in the next inning after Lesko reached on a fielder's choice that platted Cheyenne Adair for the 4-1 lead.
With two outs in the seventh, Zoe Acosta drew a walk before Rachelle Mengwasser's two-run homer extended ECU's lead to 6-1 heading into Ouachita's final at-bats.
The purple Tigers managed to add one more run after a homer of their own, but it wasn't enough to catch up, and ECU would close game one with a 6-2 win.
Taia Harris got the start and tossed a complete game in the win, allowing two runs on six hits with nine strikeouts.
Gabi Quintanilla, Rachelle Mengwasser, and Cheyenne Adair led with three hits each, while Elyse LeClair and Megan Lesko picked up one.
In game two, Ouachita would be the first to strike, adding two runs in the first inning and one in the second to take an early 3-0 lead.
ECU rallied in the third when back-to-back doubles from Jayna Reid and Megan Lesko plated Reid, and Gabi Quintanilla's single drove in Lesko to cut the deficit to 3-2.
The orange and black Tigers would add one more run in the fifth after Megan Lesko hit a solo homer, but Ouachita would eventually break the game open, tabbing six runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to trigger the 11-3 run rule.
Taryn O'Brien took the loss, pitching 3.1 innings and giving up eight runs on eight hits. Lauren HerrNeckar came in relief, going 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on two hits.
Megan Lesko led with two hits, while Jayna Reid, Gabi Quintanilla, and Rachelle Mengwasser had one hit apiece.
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