The No. 5 Temple College Leopards traveled west to take on Ranger College on Thursday afternoon.

The Leopards were challenged by the Rangers in the opening game and dominated Ranger in the closing game, as Temple swept the doubleheader.

Temple won the first game, 5-2, and won 18-1 in five innings in game two.

The Leopards' hustle on the basepaths in the second inning resulted in the first two runs. Lexi Dudeczka's ground out scored Marli Kennedy and Ryley Litchfield to give Temple a 2-0 lead.

Emilee McKee's single and Erica Baker's single scored McKee in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 2-2.

Temple took the lead for good in the top of the sixth. Dudeczka's single scored Kennedy, scored on Jasmine Benavidez's triple. Kaiyah Ratu's solo homer in the seventh gave the Leopards some insurance.

Temple clubbed 13 hits, led by Ratu and Kennedy with three hits each. Dudeczka led the Leopards with three RBI.

Kat Kram started for Temple, having dealt three innings, allowed two runs on five hits, struck out four and walked two. Izzy Garcia picked up the win in relief as she pitched four innings, allowed two hits and two walks, while striking out four.

Baker had three hits and run batted in, and Alicen Platt added two hits for Ranger.

In the second game, Temple took the led in the second inning. Jess Reyes singled home Garcia, Litchfield tripled home Reyes, and Brooklyn Walton's ground out scored Litchfield to give the Leopards a 3-0 lead.

Ratu's two-run homer jumpstarted TC's eight-run third. Myah Starks was hit by a pitch to force home Garcia, Maddi Durnell walked to force home Reyes, Benavidez's bases-loaded double and Reese Cottrell's RBI double completed the inning, as the Leopards led in the middle of the third, 11-0.

Baker's RBI ground out scored Makiah Amador accounted for Ranger's lone run in the third.

The Leopards punctuated the game with a five-run fourth. Reyes' two-run homer, Dudeczka's two-run single, Cottrell's RBI ground out, Ratu's RBI double, and Maycee Griffin's RBI single gave Temple an 18-1 lead.

Temple had 15 hits and five walks in the game, lead by Reyes' three hits and three RBI, with Benavidez, Ratu, Garcia, and Litchfield with two hits each.  Ratu also added two runs batted in. The Leopards collected eight extra base hits.

Garcia picked up the win in the circle. She pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowed one run on three hits and struck out two. Dalanee Ekster got the final four outs.

Temple (35-5 overall, 15-1 NTJCAC) will host Hill College on Wednesday (April 15) in a conference doubleheader at the Danny Scott Sports Complex.