OXFORD, ALA. Even a weather delay couldn’t stop the Odessa College softball team from pushing its winning streak to 30 games.
On Tuesday, the Lady Wranglers advanced past the first round of the NJCAA Softball World Series with a 3-1 win over Gordon State at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala.
With the victory, the Lady Wranglers moved to 52-4 overall while Gordon State fell to 23-23.
Odessa College will advance to the second round where they will face the winner of Butler College-Southern Idaho. That game was still in progress as of press time on Tuesday.
The Lady Wranglers’ next game will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The Lady Wranglers were due to play at noon on Tuesday, but weather delays forced everyone to wait an extra four hours to begin the tournament.
It took three innings for the Lady Wranglers to get going but once they did, they found themselves in front, 2-0 in the bottom of the third.
Odessa College got on the scoreboard when Ari Ybarra stole third base, then scored on a throwing error.
Kawehi Ili then singled up the middle for an RBI as Clarisa Zapata crossed home plate for the 2-0 advantage.
In the fourth inning, the Lady Wranglers tripled their lead when Michaella Baker homered over the left center fence.
Gordon State managed to get on the board in the top of the fifth inning when Emmalyn Gable doubled to left center for an RBI, scoring Madi Neal to make it 3-1.
But that was all the No. 16 seed could manage as the No. 1-seeded Lady Wranglers finished with six hits and no errors.
Gordon State had four hits and two errors total.
In the circle, Odessa College pitcher Rayna Cruickshanks finished with 13 strikeouts to get the victory.
