By: Justin Hargrove, NTCC Assistant Athletic Director
The Northeast Texas Community College Eagle Softball (14-28, 9-17) team hosted the Tyler Junior College Apaches (47-7, 22-2), ranked fifth in the latest NJCAA poll, for the final home stand of the 2019 season on Saturday. NTCC lost game one 9-2 and again came up short in game two 6-4.
Sophomores Shelby Baker (Carrollton, Texas / Hardin Simmons University), Korbyn Bassett (Palestine, Texas), Kara Carter (White Oak, Texas), Lauren Chapa (Waller, Texas), Jamie Franks (Arlington, Texas /Hardin Simmons University), Blakelea Nettles (Conroe, Texas), and Ramzi Smith (Texarkana, Texas / East Texas Baptist University) all took the field one last time for the NTCC Eagles.
In game one of the day, the Eagles fell behind early and could not come back in a 9-2 loss to Tyler Junior College on Saturday. The Apaches scored four in the first inning and never looked back.
NTCC struggled to contain the number five team in the nation, giving up nine runs.
Franks (HSU) took to the circle for the Eagles. She surrendered nine runs on ten hits over seven innings.
Bassett went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the NTCC batters in game one.
Game two of the series saw the Eagles make a late run at the Apaches scoring three runs in the final inning, but fall short 6-4.
In the first inning, the Apaches got their offense started when an error scored one run. NTCC got back in the game in the third inning when Ramzi Smith (ETBU) smashed a solo homerun well past the center field fence.
TJC answered back with two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth to increase the lead to 5-1. The Apaches tacked on one last run in the top of the seventh, inning making the score 6-1.
Raylei Merrell got things going in the seventh inning with a leadoff home run for NTCC. Merrell, Brooklyn Manes, and Haylee Wilson, all drove in runs in the comeback effort.
Kara Carter had the ball for the Eagles in game two. She went the distance, allowing five hits and six runs while striking out four.
In addition to the homeruns by Smith and Merrill, Taylor Gonzalez led the Eagles going two for three in the game.
NTCC will finish out the regular season on the road against Paris Junior College on Wednesday, May 1.
