STEPHENVILLE – The only thing stronger than the blustery winds blowing across the Tarleton Softball Campus Wednesday night was the left arm of Texan sophomore Tristan Bridges, who fired a complete-game shutout to lead the Texans to a 1-0 win.
After the teams traded blanks over the first three frames, Tarleton cracked the scoreboard first in their half of the fourth inning. Katy Schaefer battled back from a two-strike deficit to coax a walk. She was replaced on the basepaths by Destiny Salinas, whose speed proved to be the difference in the scoring inning. Salinas stole second base and ultimately crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly from Morgan Medford on a shallow fly to left.
Abilene Christian made some noise in the top of the sixth with the first two runners reaching base and ultimately moving to second and third with only one away. However, a bunt back to the pitcher and miscommunication on the base paths left two runners on the same base at third. Bridges fired to Medford, who tagged the trailing runner for the second out. Bridges got a fly ball to right from the next batter to dance out of danger.
Bridges wasted no time putting the game on ice with a three-up, three-down seventh inning to seal her third win of the season. Bridges allowed just three hits, two walks, and hit three batters while striking out four along the way.
Tarleton managed just two hits offensively – a single from Jordan Dickerson up the middle to move Salinas to third and set up the sacrifice fly and a shift-beating double from Medford.
Tarleton will head to Lubbock this weekend for four games at Rocky Johnson Field. The Texans will open the weekend against UTEP and then play three straight games against Big XII opponent, Texas Tech.
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