SAN ANGELO, Texas — The Ouachita Baptist University softball team opened its 2026 campaign Friday in Texas with an emphatic 7-1 win over Texas A&M International at the George and Ola McCorkle Challenge.
The Tigers wasted no time jumping in front after sophomore Laken Golden reached base to lead off the top of the first, then freshman Morgan Uher followed with a single to set the stage for Ouachita's junior slugger. Emily Reed delivered a statement and launched a three-run home run over the centerfield wall as the Tigers pounced to an early lead.
Ouachita added to its advantage in the fourth inning after freshman Addison Davidson, junior Jordyn Merrett, and freshman Haley Danielson strung together three consecutive singles to load the bases. Head coach Jeff Jackson promptly turned to his dugout and called for freshman Ryleigh Stinson to grab a bat, Stinson answered the call in historic fashion and crushed a pinch-hit grand slam over the right field fence in her very first collegiate plate appearance to extend the Tigers' lead to 7-0.
The pair of homers were more than enough for sophomore pitcher Catie Amador, who earned Ouachita's first win of the season after striking out seven batters in a complete game. The Tigers' ace pitcher retired 10 of the first 11 batters she faced and held the Dustdevils to only an infield single through the first four innings, before Amador (1-0) capped her stellar performance by striking out the side in the seventh.
The Dustdevils finished with just four hits and one run, while the Tigers collected nine hits in the season opener victory. Merrett led the Tigers with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, while Reed and Stinson combined for seven RBI.
Ouachita returned to the diamond in the evening to face No. 13 Angelo State for its second game of the day, ultimately losing by a final score of 9-1. The Rambelles scored in four of the six innings at the plate, batting around to plate six runs in a decisive fourth inning that put the game out of reach. The Tigers were limited to just two hits against the Rambelles, including an RBI triple from redshirt-senior Remington Adams to score Uher in the fourth inning.
Ouachita (1-1) returns to action with a double-header on Saturday against tournament-host No. 13 Angelo State at 3:30 p.m., followed by a rematch against Texas A&M-International at 5:45 p.m.
