Special to The Flash
TheFlashToday.com
STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton took care of Angelo State in both games of Saturday’s series-ending doubleheader, taking the first game 5-4 and the second game 4-3.
“I was extremely proud of our team staying focused and bouncing back from some tough luck, tough injuries, and a few things just not going our way (Friday),” said head coach Julie Mata. “I thought Shelby (Hedrick) and Haley (Freyman) pitched great games today against a great-hitting team. Our seniors stepped up and Becky Allen came up with a big home run to lift us in game two. Also, Shelby and Alyssa Ringhausen gave us great at-bats all weekend.”
With two outs in a tie game in the bottom of the seventh, Savannah Stech stepped to the plate and, with ice in her veins, delivered a walk-off single into left field to score Katelyn Conlee and put Tarleton in the win column 5-4 over Angelo State.
Tarleton’s Katelyn Conlee opened up, what would be, the final frame with a leadoff single. After a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout put Tarleton one out away from extra innings, Avery Mullendoreextended the game with an infield single to shortstop to extend the game and set up Stech’s game-winner. Stech was 2-for-4 on the game with a run scored and an RBI and she was the only TexAnn with a multi-hit effort in the first game of the day.
The TexAnns were forced to play catch up as Angelo State plated four runs in their first three innings of action while a bases-loaded walk from Taylor Fitzgerald in the second inning was the only scratch in the Tarleton run column heading into the fourth inning.
Trailing 4-1 in the fourth, Tarleton’s offense came to life when Tarleton took advantage of a bases-loaded, one-out situation. Fitzgerald drew her second RBI walk of the game before Tarleton tied the game on an RBI single from Melody Mayse and an RBI sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Amanda Conner, who put her two-strike pitch into deep centerfield to score Rebeka Allen for the tying run.
Meanwhile, Haley Freyman settled down after the opening three innings and kept the Rambelles off the board for the final four innings. The sophomore right-hander went the distance for her 14th win of the season, allowing four runs on 10 hits and striking out four.
A three-run first inning and a solo home run from Rebeka Allen in the fourth were all the run supportShelby Hedrick would need as she tossed her second complete-game win in her last three outings to cap off the sweep of Angelo State
Tarleton took advantage of two Angelo State errors to put up a three spot in the bottom of the first inning.
Conlee got the first hit of game two with a rip into left field. After a wild pitch, an error, and an infield single loaded the bases, Stech picked up right where she left off in game one with an RBI single up the middle. The final two runs of the inning came in to score when the Rambelle shortstop sent a throw sailing beyond the first baseman, allowing Wood and Hedrick to cross the plate for a 3-0 lead after one.
Angelo State chipped away with solo runs in the second and fourth inning, but Tarleton’s Rebeka Allen blasted off to deep left field for her second home run of the season to push the lead back to two at 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth.
The Rambelles scored one in the sixth inning to send the game into the final frame with Tarleton leading 4-3, but Shelby Hedrick got a fly ball to right field, a pop up in foul territory – which was hauled in on a running catch by Delaney Wayland that brought the Tarleton crowd to their feet – and a game-ending ground ball to Avery Mullendore at second base. Hedrick earned her third win of the season with seven innings of work, allowing three runs on nine hits with three strikeouts.
Tarleton’s offense amassed seven base hits, including two each from Conlee and Hedrick. A Mayse triple, Stech single, and the Allen home run rounded out the Tarleton offense.
The TexAnns will return to action Tuesday afternoon in Stephenville with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against St. Edward’s in a makeup date from a rained out game on March 12.
Be the first to comment