Four-run fifth leads Jimmies to win over OUAZ

TUCSON, Ariz.-- A four-run fifth inning proved to be the difference in a 7-6 victory for the Jimmie softball team over Ottawa University-Arizona Saturday afternoon at the Tucson Invitational Games.

Trailing 6-3 going into the fifth, Jamestown (4-6) struck for four runs on six hits and a pair of walks. UJ led 3-0 after two innings, but OUAZ scored one in the third and five in the fourth to go up by three runs.

A walk to Megan Neiles and a single by Samarah Martinez set the table for Mackenzie Lefebvre's double to left center. Neiles scored the first Jimmie run as Martinez advanced to third. Camryn Schwab's sacrifice fly brought in Martinez as Lefebvre moved up a base on the play. Following a walk to Angie Chin, Lefebvre came home as Chin stole second base to make it 3-0.

UJ loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, and Martinez delivered a double to left center that scored Gracie Fisher and Gentrey Turin. With Neiles on third and Martinez on second, Lefebvre singled to left center for the tying and go-ahead runs.

Taryn Schurhamer (1-0) came on in relief and got the final out of the fourth. She worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings before Sunny Halsey came on in the seventh to record her first save.

In Saturday's first game against Arizona Christian, the Jimmies managed just two runs on four hits, losing 10-2 via the run rule in the bottom of the fifth. Maddie Spaeth and Gracie Fisher had RBIs in the third to make it 4-2, but Arizona Christian plated six more runs over the final 2 1/3 innings to end the game.

Jamestown continues their Arizona trip with a 10:00 a.m. game against Saint Francis (Ill.)