PORTALES, N.M. – After Thursday night, Jordan Withrow joined an exclusive club. A club of only herself.
The junior right-hander from Trenton etched her name into the Tarleton record book as the school’s all-time strikeout leader in Tarleton’s 6-1 victory over Eastern New Mexico in Portales Thursday night. She passed Hall of Famer Carla Geeslin (521) for the most punchouts in the history of the program (523) with a 13-strikeout performance.
“I’m very honored and excited. I’m also thankful to have another year after this,” said Withrow. “Carla Geeslin was a phenomenal player and she set the bar for all the players who came after her and hopefully I can be that for players in this program who will come after me. I’m also honored and blessed to play for such great coaches and to have such great teammates that have helped me reach this accomplishment.”
Withrow threw all seven innings of Tarleton’s victory Thursday night, striking out 13 and allowing one run on five hits and three walks. She improved to 17-4 on the season.
“Jordan has been a workhorse since she got here and she’s grown into one of the best pitcher’s in the country,” said head coach Mark Cumpian. “She’s also established herself as one of the best pitcher’s in Tarleton history.
“Obviously, I didn’t get to see Carla play but her legacy is deeply rooted in the heart of this program and for Jordan to have her name right there among the best pitchers in Tarleton history is pretty amazing. I’m certainly excited to have her in the purple and white for another season.”
Tarleton took advantage of Eastern’s lack of control early on as the TexAnns turned a hit by pitch and two walks into an RBI fielder’s choice for Destiny Crumpley and a 1-0 lead after the first.
After Eastern tied things up with one in the second, the tie game carried into the sixth when Tarleton broke things open. Crumpley led off the inning with a single and, after a Kristen Zuehl walk, Amanda Conner drove in a pair with a two-run double to right center. Tarleton loaded the bases and then Georgia Capell cleared them with a three-run double to left for a 6-1 lead.
Withrow tied Geeslin’s mark of 521 with a strikeout for the final out of the sixth and then got Kayla Marshall swinging in the top of the seventh to break the record. She sat down the hounds in order in the seventh.
Tarleton had one hit from six different players – Capell, Crumpley, Zuehl, Conner, Lexi Grimaldo and Jessica Lee.
The series will resume Friday with a doubleheader at 2 p.m. CT.
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