SAN ANGELO, TX – After 10 days of delayed schedules, the East Central University softball team finally opened up the 2023 season at the George & Ola. McCorkle Challenge in San Angelo, TX.
 
ECU finished 0-4 on the weekend, facing a tough Texas A&M International and #18 Angelo State University.
 
Day 1
ECU vs. TAMIU (L, 2-0)
TAMIU opened the scoring in the top of the first inning after taking advantage of an ECU error to go up 1-0.
 
The Tigers faced a dominant Dustdevil pitcher, who had thrown a no-hitter the previous game. ECU found its only hit of the game when Jayna Reid doubled to the left in the bottom of the fourth.
 
The game remained scoreless until TAMIU added an insurance run in the top of the seventh to close the game 2-0.
 
Taryn O'Brien took the loss, pitching her first complete-game of the season, allowing two runs on four hits.
 
Reliever Taylor Spence pitched the last two innings allowing three runs on three hits.
 
ECU vs. ASU (L, 8-1)
 ECU fell behind early as ASU kicked off the scoring with a run in the first. 

The Tigers answered back in the second after Gabi Quintanilla drew a walk and Vanessa Tamayo tripled down the right field line to score Quintanilla and tie the game 1-1.

ASU added a solo homer in the bottom of the third inning to push their lead 2-1.

ECU's bats went silent the last four innings while ASU added six more runs to secure the victory 8-1.

Taia Harris threw four innings, giving up five runs on seven hits, while reliever Taylor Spence pitched the last two innings allowing three runs on three hits. 

Day 2
ECU vs. TAMU (L, 2-1)
ECU opened up the second day of tournament play with a rematch against the Dustdevils. 

The game was scoreless before the Tiger offense got going in the top of the third.

Josi Goodman was hit by pitch, advanced to second from Elyse LeClair's sacrifice bunt, and made her way to third base after Vanessa Tamayo's fly out to left center. Gabi Quintanilla capitalized with a single to third base to push Goodman across home plate for the 1-0 lead.

Three more scoreless innings would go by before TAMIU knotted the game 1-1 and forced extra innings.

ECU had a chance in the eighth inning to break the tie, but TAMIU managed to hold the Tigers off. In the bottom of the ninth, the Dustdevils managed to win the game with a triple down the left field line followed by a single to right center to win 2-1.

ECU vs. ASU (L, 6-4)
The Tigers went straight into their last match of the day facing #18 ASU for the second time.

ECU's offense came alive in the first inning after a pair of singles from Vanessa Tamayo and Gabi Quintanilla put them in scoring position at first and second. Jayna Reid drew a walk to make the bases loaded, and Zoe Acosta drew a walk to bring Tamayo home for the first run. Rikki Hadley followed with a 2 RBI single to right field to bring in Quintanilla and Reid all the way home. Megan Lesko continued with an RBI single up the middle to drive in Acosta and make it a 4-0 lead.

ASU chipped away at the Tiger lead scoring four runs in five innings to tie the game 4-all heading into the sixth.

Neither team was able to score in the sixth, and three straight outs in the top of the seventh gave the Rams an opportunity to put the game away.

ASU drew a walk and then homered to right center for the walk win 6-4.