Historic TexAnn season ends with loss in Regional Final

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The winningest season in Tarleton Softball history came to an end as the No. 17-ranked TexAnns fell to Texas A&M-Commerce in the winner-take-all South Central Regional Final on Saturday.

The TexAnns finished the season with a program-record 50 wins and just 11 losses while advancing to the regional final for only the second time in school history. The TexAnns topped A&M-Commerce, 10-9, in the opener to force a decisive game, only to fall 14-2.

Game 1: Tarleton 10, Texas A&M-Commerce 9

The long ball carried the TexAnns early in the game, with Tanna Huie starting the offense off with a bang, smacking a 3-run home run to left field for the first inning lead.

After A&M-Commerce tacked on a pair of runs in the second, Meghann Wrinkle provided a solo home run in the third inning for a 4-2 lead.

With the score tied at 4-4 in the fourth inning, Marisa Flores ripped a solo homer down the left field line to put the TexAnns back on top, 5-4.

The TexAnns trailed 7-5 after the Lions added three runs in the fourth inning. But like they have all regional tournament, the TexAnns battled back with a four-run fifth inning to take the lead for good.

The TexAnns pounded out five hits in the fifth, as Nyka Wood, Huie and Flores all singled with Flores’ hit driving in a run. Amanda Conner’s bases-loaded walk brought home a run to tie the game at 7-7. Georgia Capell followed with a two-run single up the middle for a 9-7 TexAnn lead.

Capell added an RBI single in the seventh inning for a 10-7 lead, which proved to be a much-needed run for the TexAnns as A&M-Commerce would score two in the bottom of the seventh.

Capell finished with a three-hit game, going 3-for-5 with three RBI. Tanna Huie and Marisa Flores each went 2-for-4 to lead the TexAnn offense.

Jordan Withrow picked up her 26th win of the season, throwing six innings and striking out two.

Game 2: Texas A&M-Commerce 14, Tarleton 2

The TexAnns faced an early deficit as Texas A&M-Commerce scored four runs in the first inning.

Tanna Huie and Karli Herron provided a spark to the TexAnn offense with solo home runs in the second inning to cut the deficit in half.

However, the Lions would score four runs in the fourth and six more in the fifth to pull away from the TexAnns.

Tarleton managed only three hits in the game, the two home runs and a single by Megan Durante late in the game.