'Roo Softball Splits Home Opener with Ozarks

SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College softball team picked up its first win of the 2023 campaign and finished the day with a doubleheader split against the University of the Ozarks on Saturday afternoon at Old Settlers Park. The 'Roos took game one 15-12 before falling 10-6 in game two.

Austin College exploded for 11 runs in the first inning of game one, highlighted by a three-run homer from Hailie Swiatkowski in the frame. Swiatkowski finished the game 3-for-4 with five RBI and also added a stolen base. Ozarks got two runs back in the second inning before Elizabeth Preston came home to make it 12-2 in the third, but the Eagles tacked on three runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth to cut it to a 12-10 game. 

The 'Roos answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth to push the margin to 15-10, and managed to hold off a late rally attempt by the Eagles, who plated two more in the seventh to make it a 15-12 final. Preston finished 3-for-5 and Kaitlyn Barrett went 3-for-4 with three RBI, while Carrie Johnson added a 2-for-4 performance with three runs batted in. Allie Jeter picked up the win for the 'Roos.

In game two, Ozarks jumped out to an early 5-0 lead after the opening frame and the margin grew to 7-0 heading into the third. Austin College got three runs back in the third to cut it to a 7-3 game, but the Eagles pushed three more runs across in the fourth to extend their lead to 10-3.

Austin College got a run back in the bottom of the fourth and the 'Roos would get a pair of runs across in the sixth to make it 10-6, but that's as close as things would get down the stretch. AD Smith went 3-for-4 with four RBI and a pair of stolen bases to lead the 'Roos offensively, and Swiatkowski went 3-for-3 with two RBI. Brooklynn Cook took the loss, surrendering seven runs on eight hits in 2.0 innings of work.