TexAnns run-rule Cameron for first ever regional title

Relief pitcher Hedrick unloads 2 HR, 6 RBI in 11-3 win

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Courtesy NATHAN BURAL/Tarleton Athletic Communications

By BRAD KEITH

TheFlashToday.com NEWS & SPORTS – FREE & LOCAL

(May 10, 2015) — Shelby Hedrick had the best weekend of her college career.

Tarleton State enjoyed the best weekend in the history of its softball program.

The TexAnns claimed their first South Central Region I championship with a 11-3 win over Cameron Sunday at Schaeffer Park, completing a perfect three-game stretch to reach the super regional and the ‘Sweet 16’ for the first time in program history.

Hedrick provided the biggest highlights and a climactic finish to the best weekend of her career, hitting not just her first but also her second home run as a TexAnn. She unloaded a two-run blast to center in the second and a three-run shot to left-center in the third, giving Tarleton a 5-0 lead and complete control.

Then, in a fitting end to the regional Hedrick helped Tarleton to dominate – the TexAnns won the three games by a combined score of 21-8 – she hit a walk-off single to invoke the eight-run rule in the bottom of the sixth.


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As if two home runs and six runs batted in weren’t enough of a contribution to her team’s historic day, Hedrick was also effective in relief work from the circle for the third straight day. After pitching 5.2 innings of shutout relief in the first two regional games, the junior surrendered a run – it was unearned – on three hits and one walk while striking out two in three innings Sunday.

Cameron answered the big start by Tarleton with three runs in the top of the fourth, but Tarleton got all three back in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded, Stephenville product Katelyn Conlee drew a walk for a free RBI. Freshman catcher Nyka Wood drove a sac fly to right field before Erika Menchaca made it 8-3 with an RBI double to left center.

Menchaca went the other way with a two-run double to right in the sixth. Kaitlyn Thomas came in as a pinch runner and scored on Hedrick’s walk-off single.

Cameron entered the game ninth in the nation in scoring, but its only damage came in the fourth when Paige Daino led off with a solo home run and Jessie Ingram and Macy McKay each had RBI singles.

Tarleton amassed 13 hits with Hedrick, batting in the seven hole, going 3-for-4. Menchaca was also 3-for-4 and drove in three runs, while Wood was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Conlee was 1-for-2 with an RBI and also drew two walks to reach base three times.

Freyman (23-12) allowed two runs on four hits and a walk as Cameron produced seven total hits on the afternoon. The Lady Aggies entered the contest averaging 7.2 runs and 9.8 hits on the season.


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The No. 8 seeded TexAnns opened the regional with a 2-1 upset of defending national champion and top seed West Texas A&M, which hosted the regional at Schaeffer Park in Canyon. Tarleton also defeated Cameron on Saturday, 8-4, before Cameron eliminated WTAMU to reach Sunday’s finals.

Tarleton needed just one win to capture the South Central Region I title, while Cameron entered Sunday needing to sweep a doubleheader.

Instead, the Aggies (41-18) couldn’t survive a full seven innings.

Because from the start of the weekend to the finish, this regional was about Tarleton.

The TexAnns (33-20) have their most wins since recording 36 victories in 2006, and they have won nine of their last 10 games entering super regional play.

Now, they’re just two wins away from the Division II College World Series.

That’s somewhere else this program has never been before. Somewhere else now within arm’s reach for a team on fire.

Shelby Hedrick was the star as Tarleton State captured the 2015 South Central Region I championship Sunday. They move on to the South Central Super Regional next week. || Courtesy NATHAN BURAL/Tarleton Athletic Communications
Shelby Hedrick was the star as Tarleton State captured the 2015 South Central Region I championship Sunday. They move on to the South Central Super Regional next week. || Courtesy NATHAN BURAL/Tarleton Athletic Communications

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