**For
Immediate Release**
Strong Arms, Bats and Hearts Lead OPSU in 3 Wins
by Aggie Sports on 04-03-06
Goodwell, Okla.- The Oklahoma
Panhandle State softball team took three of four games in
last weekend’s series
against Lincoln University. Several Lady Aggies had outstanding
perfromances, including a no-hitter by Rachael Hughes on Saturday.
The Lady Aggies hit well, especially senior Jennifer “C.J.” Costeldia,
who has become one of the most respected hitters in the Heartland
Conference. The catcher from Grand Junction, Colo. also consistently
kept Lincoln runners on their toes all weekend with her strong
throwing arm.
The pitching gem by Hughes in Saturday’s
15-0 win was a great story on its own merit. The junior from
Topeka, Kan. had not played in two weeks because of a painful
back injury, but she was virtually unstoppable Saturday afternoon.
The only two Lincoln batters to reach base in the game did
so on a walk and an error.
After the game, with both the shoulder and elbow of her pitching
arm packed in ice, Hughes wore a big smile and gave her teammates
plenty of credit for the victory, citing both their run production
and their defensive work.
Those in attendance at both the Friday and Saturday doubleheaders
had a great time, and the Lady Aggies played with strong hearts
all the way.
LADY AGGIES 9, Lincoln 1
In Friday’s first game, the Lady
Aggies jumped out fast and never looked back in their 9-1
victory.
Cathy Daza, Krystal Comeaux, Antonia Ramirez, Kindall Moon
and Jessica Puckett each had two hits for OPSU and Costeldia
drilled a triple.
Moon has pitched well for the Lady Aggies
lately and gave up only four hits in Friday’s first
game.
LADY AGGIES 8, Lincoln 7
Friday’s second game was not over
UNTIL it was over, and the Lady Aggies held off a late inning
Lincoln rally for a one run win and their third consecutive
victory.
Costeldia smashed two home runs and a triple. Daza, Ramirez,
Pam Moore and Courtney Harris each notched a pair of singles
for the Lady Aggies
Lincoln 18, LADY AGGIES 4
In Saturday’s first game, the Blue
Tigers erupted for seven runs in both the second and the
fourth innings for their only win of the series.
The Lady Aggies still had their share of excitement as Daza
and Jackie Cornish both had triples, and Puckett, a freshman,
had a wild inside-the-park home run.
LADY AGGIES 15, Lincoln 0
The Lady Aggies saved the best for last as they hammered Lincoln
15-0 in the final game of the four game series.
Second baseman Daza, a freshman from
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, played well in all four games
and hammered her first home run of the season in the second
game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Ramirez, Comeaux, Costeldia, Cornish, and Harris all had two
hits for OPSU.
The day belonged to Hughes, who methodically mowed down Lincoln
batters for her second no-hitter in as many seasons. The no-hitter
was aided in large measure by the splendid play in the field,
notably by Cornish, Harris, and Comeaux in the outfield and
Moore at shortstop.
At the end of the weekend, Costeldia’s
season batting average stood near .350. Junior third baseman
Ramirez, a Tombstone, Ariz. native and a solid hitter for
OPSU this season, upped her season average to near .340 with
her performance in the four games.
The Lady Aggies and their fans were elated
after Saturday’s
wins and celebrated the team’s fourth win in five games.
First year head coach Nikki Cothran was also all smiles. “Things
are coming together for us very well both on defense and offense.
I’m very proud of our effort.”
Cothran should be proud as the three wins featured an outstanding
team effort to complement the many individual accomplishments.
The Lady Aggies will be on the road for the remainder of the
regular season. The Heartland Conference SoftballTournament
is set for April 27-29 in San Antonio.
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