Ranger College Softball splits their series with Howard College, and their win brings back pride to campus
Coach Shelly Paige has put Ranger College Softball back on the map and is bringing excitement back to campus.
Ranger, while 2-8 on the season, has appeared to hit a place where they are coming together and with a fury. In just the last two games, they have scored 13 runs.
In the first game of the series, Howard College took the win over Ranger College with a final score of 11-9. Both teams displayed impressive offensive performances, but Howard College managed to secure the win.
The game started slow, with both teams failing to score in the first two innings. However, Howard College broke the deadlock in the third inning, scoring four runs and taking an early lead. They added two more runs in the fifth inning to extend their advantage.
Ranger College fought back in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring their first run of the game. They added another run in the fifth inning to narrow the gap. However, it was in the sixth inning that Ranger College truly made their presence felt, scoring seven runs to take the lead.
Not to be outdone, Howard College responded with a strong offensive display of their own in the seventh inning. They scored five runs to regain the lead and ultimately secure the victory.
Ranger College had notable performances from Alayna Parram and Jenna Cox, who both hit home runs and recorded multiple RBIs. Despite their efforts, Ranger College fell short in the end.
Pitching played a crucial role in the game, with both teams utilizing multiple pitchers throughout the game. A. Aguilera of Howard College earned the win, pitching six innings and allowing five runs. R. Avants secured the save in the final two outs of the game.
For Ranger College, Jada Moreno was handed the loss after allowing four runs in three innings. Sarah Gonzalez also pitched for four innings, giving up seven runs.
The second game, however, was a showcase by Ranger College. They won by a score of 10-4. This was the first home win for Ranger College Softball since April of 2022.
Ranger won the second game 10-4 due to great hitting, especially in the 5th inning.
Mallory Stiehl singled and got an RBI, Alayna Parram got a single and RBI, Marlie Strong got a single and RBI, Jenna Cox got a double and an RBI, and Jada Moreno for a single, and 2 RBIs.
Marlie Strong got a total of three hits on four at-bats for the game.
Jada Moreno earned the win for Ranger. She gave up only three hits and no runs in her 3-1/3 innings pitched.
The team came together and got the win for Ranger, ending the losing home streak at 27 games.
Coach Shelly Paige is a huge part of the success of this team, and the positive direction they are trending. A native of Cisco, TX, Coach Paige came to Ranger with coaching experience with Cisco High School. There, she was the Head Coach for the Cisco High School Softball Team. She came to Ranger this past summer and has been making a positive impact ever since.
Scott Norwood, the Athletic Director for Ranger College, said that he is very impressed with Coach Paige. "You can see a huge improvement over the last few years. The softball team has been more energetic this year, and you can see them molding together as a cohesive unit. I am very excited to see where Coach Paige is going to take them over the next few years," said Norwood.
Norwood also noted that, as a new coach at a new school, there will be growing pains, but he is confident Coach Paige will be able to overcome any obstacles and bring many wins and a lot of pride back to Ranger College Softball.
When asked about how her team is adjusting to this year's season, Coach Paige said "The girls have really been working hard and improving their skills every day. Although we would like to obviously win them all, we are learning how to compete and never give up. I see plenty of wins ahead for us."
Coach Paige has been a great addition to not only the Ranger College staff and community but is a beacon of teamwork and leadership we can all learn and thrive from.
Ranger College Softball will play this weekend on the road against Western Texas College at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.