Softball defeats SFA, UIW to close out North Texas Invitational; Sunday game postponed

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DENTON – The North Texas Invitational came to an end sooner than anticipated due to inclement weather – maybe because Tarleton Softball brought the thunder in a pair of victories Saturday afternoon.

Tarleton defeated Southland Conference Preseason favorite Stephen F. Austin 2-1 in Saturday’s opener and then closed things out with a 9-2 rout of Incarnate Word for their third consecutive win. The tournament finale between Tarleton and UNT scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed and will now be played April 21 when the Mean Green visits Tarleton.

Game 1: Tarleton 2, Stephen F. Austin 1
Julia Wernet turned in her third straight superb start in the pitching circle as the Texans topped the ‘Jacks in a pitcher’s duel.

Wernet allowed a first inning home run, but that would be all the ‘Jacks would get off the Tarleton right-hander. Wernet went the distance to improve to 3-2 on the season, allowing one run on six hits and only walking one. Destiny Crumpley and Katy Schaefer had one hit each to round out the offense.

Meanwhile, Georgia Capell answered long ball with long ball in a 3-3 performance at the plate. Hallie Saintignan drove in the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly to plate Bailee Riggs in the fourth. 

Game 2: Tarleton 9, Incarnate Word 1 Tarleton poured on nine runs over two big innings to deliver a 9-2 victory over the Cardinals of Incarnate Word.

The Texans got the scoring started with a three spot in the second when MacKenzie Peterson and Miranda Pruitt drove in one run each with RBI singles and Jordan Dickerson plated one on a sacrifice fly.

Despite UIW scoring two in the third on a two-run double, the Texans maintained a lead on the strength of their second inning through the final frame. In the top of the seventh, the flood gates opened to the tune of six runs.

Tarleton scored on RBI singles from Schaefer and Peterson before an RBI fielder’s choice, back-to-back bases-loaded walks and a UIW miscue accounted for the final four runs of the game. Tarleton pounded out nine hits for the game, led by two-hit performances from Capell and Peterson. Morgan Medford, Dickerson, Schaefer, Saintignan, and Pruitt had one hit each.

Meanwhile, Tristan Bridges got the start and allowed two runs on three hits through three innings. She gave way to Cheyenne Floyd who recorded one out before turning things over to Wernet for the final 3.2 innings of near-flawless relief. Wernet allowed one hit and struck out three to earned her fourth straight victorious decision.

With tomorrow’s game postponed, the Texans will now return to action for four games next weekend in Ruston, Louisiana against La Tech and Baylor.

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