SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Ouachita softball team kept things close, but opened up the 2025 George & Ola McCorkle Challenge with losses to Texas A&M-International and No. 11 Angelo State on Friday.
Game One: Texas A&M – International 3, Ouachita 2
The first game of the ASU Geroge & Ola McCorkle Challenge saw Texas A&M-International strike first with two runs in the bottom of the opening frame. From there, the Friday afternoon matchup became a pitchers' duel. Both teams went scoreless over the next five innings and Ouachita held the Dust Devils without a hit in that same time frame.
The Tigers found a rhythm offensively in the top of the sixth inning.
Remington Adams got the scoring started with an RBI double that scored
Jordyn Merrett from second. Adams was brought home during the next at-bat thanks to an RBI single from
Emily Reed to tie the game 2-2. The Dust Devils retook the lead with one run in the bottom half of the sixth. Ouachita didn't have an answer and fell by the final score of 3-2 to open the weekend tournament.
Merrett led the Tigers offensively with two hits and a run scored.
Adams and Reed each recorded a hit and an RBI.
Catie Amador got the start for Ouachita and pitched a complete game with two strikeouts and just one walk, but earned the loss.
Game Two: No. 11 Angelo State 6, Ouachita 2
The second game of the day came down to just one inning. After posting scoreless first and second innings, the Tiger offense found life in the third. Merrett got things going with a one-out single.
Baylee King followed it up with a single to put two on. Adams reached on a fielder's choice. Then Reed came up with her second RBI hit of the day, this time a two-RBI double to right center that scored Adams and Merrett with two outs and put Ouachita in front of the No. 11 Rambelles 2-0.
Angelo State make the most of its opportunities in the bottom of the third inning to plate six runs. After the third inning, things went back to a battle. Both sides went scoreless over the remaining four innings. The Tigers had runners in scoring position in the final three innings but couldn't bring them around to score. ASU held on and Ouachita fell by the final score of 6-2.
Merrett again led the team in hits with two and added a run scored.
Adams, King, and Reed each recorded hits.
Callie Kilburn pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless relief and struck out two.
Tuesday Melton got the start in the circle but earned the loss.
The Tigers will look to bounce back tomorrow when they take on the same two teams, starting with Angelo State at 3:30 p.m., followed by TAMIU at 5:45 p.m.
