COLLEGE SOFTBALL: Odessa College bats away Cisco College in doubleheader sweep

Odessa College’s Jolene Graham said she has a simple approach when she walks up to the batter’s box with the bases loaded.

“I like to swing for singles and, if I hit a home run, that’s an accident,” Graham said. “The important thing is you want to plate runs in that situation.”

Graham produced when the Lady Wranglers were tied against Cisco College in the bottom of the fifth inning — with the bases loaded — in Game 1 of a softball doubleheader Thursday at Wrangler Field.

The sophomore walked up to plate, took a sign from head coach Joel Prickett, choked up on the bat and hit a line drive to the left-field wall that cleared the bases. The Lady Wranglers (12-6) took a lead which they would not relinquish en route to a 9-2 victory.

“Jo always wants to be in those high-pressure situations,” Prickett said. “That’s why she’s one of our team captains, she delivers for us in the clutch.”

Graham also delivered in the second game, recording two doubles and three RBIs in a 10-1 five-inning win.

She finished the doubleheader 5-for-6 with three doubles and seven RBIs.

“I’m just glad I was able to start a small rally,” Graham said of her Game 1 performance. “We started off slow because we were trying to swing for the fences, but we adjusted and got rolling on offense.”

Delia Saucedo earned the Game 1 pitching victory, while teammate Rachel Thompson won Game 2 for Odessa College.

Saucedo pitched seven innings, striking out three. She also had an RBI offensively.

“It took me a while to get warmed up,” Saucedo said. “It was also tough to stay warm while I pitched, but I’m just glad our offense came through when it did.”

Odessa College’s offense recorded 21 hits in the doubleheader, 10 of which were singles.

Prickett said he was pleased with his team’s performance.

“The girls hit the ball hard, just like they did the last time we played Cisco at their place,” Prickett said. “This time we didn’t hit the ball at their players.”

Cisco College (4-10) was led at the plate by Shelby Fellers who went 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI.

The Lady Wranglers will play in the Midland College Spring Classic today and Saturday at the Freddie Ezell Softball Complex in Midland. Odessa College is scheduled to play Vernon College at 11 a.m., Blinn College at 1:30 p.m. and Seminole State College (Okla.) at 6:30 p.m.

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Odessa College 9-10, Cisco College 2-1

GAME 1

Cisco............. 100  100     0   —     2      7     3

OC.................. 000  153     X   —     9    14     4

Katy Harris; Allison Boston (5) and Amanda Cruddas. Delia Saucedo and Jackie Flores. W — Saucedo. L — Harris. 2B — Cisco College: Rachel Vasquez, Shelby Fellers, Odessa College: Jolene Graham, Emily Beale. 3B — Odessa College: Kirstie Cochran.

———

GAME 2

(Game ended in five innings)

Cisco............. 100    00          —     1      3     3

OC.................. 334    0X          —   10      7     1

Shaye Shonebarger, Allison Boston (4) and Mackinzee Mayfield. Rachel Thompson and Kaylyn Archuleta. W — Thompson. L — Shonebarger. 2B — Cisco College: Shelby Fellers, Odessa College: Betty Caporal, Jolene Graham 2, Jackie Flores. HR — Odessa College: Archuleta.

Records — Cisco College 4-10, Odessa College 12-6.