STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton State handed Seattle U back-to-back losses with a 10-2 (5) win Saturday to secure back-to-back series over the top-two teams in the conference and earn their 20th win of the season.
The Texans (20-15, 6-6 WAC) outscored the Redhawks (22-12, 7-2 WAC) 10-1 after the road squad put up a run in the first handing Seattle U their first conference series loss of the season and their second conference loss overall. The conference series loss marks the Red and Blacks first since the Purple and White took down the Redhawks 2-1 in Seattle in 2024 when the Texans won back-to-back 3-1 games to open the three-game series.
Following Tarleton State’s 4-2 and 10-2 (5) wins, the Stephenville squad moves to 7-5 all-time with Seattle U. The Texans have now outscored the Redhawks 59-56 and are averaging 4.92 runs per game. The 10-2 (5) victory marks the largest margin of victory for the Purple and White.
Tarleton State has now knocked off the top-two teams in the conference in back-to-back weekends after the Texans handed Grand Canyon their first two conference losses of the season last weekend. The 2-1 series win over the Lopes marks the first home series loss since 2022 and first conference series loss since 2023 for GCU.
Seattle U took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first for their first and only lead of the day off the bat of Mikee Morris as she went deep to left with a solo shot.
In the bottom of the second, Tarleton State tied things up 1-1 and never looked back as they cruised to their 20th win of the season. With bases loaded, Jaelynn Duke reached on a fielder’s choice as Kalyn Hill scored on an error by the second baseman to make it 1-1. Casey Schultz then drew a bases loaded walk allowing Austin Germain to come home and put the Texans in front 2-1. Hayden Fox then followed up with a single to center scoring Duke putting the Purple and White up two 3-1.
The top of the fourth saw the Redhawks score their second and final run of the day off a sac fly from Camryn Johnson driving in Avari Morris to make it a one-run ball game 3-2.
Tarleton State busted the doors off in the bottom half of the fourth as Molly Cochran advanced to second on a passed ball while Hannah Reed dove into home to make it 4-2. Then with Hill and Cochran on, Germain doubled to left center scoring both to push it to a 6-2 lead. Gibson then earned her way on the base paths setting up Duke to drive in two more as she doubled to right center scoring Gibson and Germain to make it a six-run lead as the Texans led 8-2. Casey then put the Purple and White just one run away from run-ruling the Red and Black as she singled to left driving in Duke to make it 9-2.
In the top of the fifth, Alexa Rehmeier took over in the circle for Hannah Blincoe who earned her second start of the weekend. Rehmeier retired the Redhawks in order giving the Texans the opportunity to earn their seventh run-rule victory of the season.
The Texans lead-off hitter, Hayden Fox stepped to the plate in the bottom half of the fifth with her hot bat and kept her bat hot as she drove a single to center putting the winning run on. Cochran then came up huge with a perfectly placed sac bunt to put Fox in scoring position out at second. Senior Tristyn Trull who is no stranger to big moments then stepped to the plate looking to sending the Redhawks packing early. Trull did just that hitting a rocket to that deflected off the shortstop’s glove and rolled into shallow left field as Fox sped around the bases scoring the 10th run of the game and walking things off for the Purple and White.
For the Texans, Blincoe (W, 6-8) earned the start in the circle and went four innings giving up two runs (both earned) on five hits. She also struck out five and walked two. Her five strikeouts now put her at 66 on the season which is second best behind freshman stud Shelby Schultz who has 97. Rehmeier tossed the final three outs putting up zeros across the board as she faced just three sending them back in order.
For the Redhawks, Naomi Chaidez got the start for the Redhawks as she went 3.2 IP allowing nine runs (two earned) on six hits while walking half a dozen and sitting down two. Avari Morris then took over for the final 0.2 IP. She gave up the winning run (earned) and allowed three hits and struck just one.
Tarleton State will now once again have time to rest as they do not have a midweek scheduled before they head west once again, this time to the home of the Utah Tech Trailblazers. Action in St. George, Utah is set to get underway with a doubleheader on Friday at 3 p.m. CT and 5:30 p.m. CT. Game 3 of the series is set for Saturday as the two programs will face off at 1 p.m. CT. Tarleton State currently sits top-four in the WAC with an overall record of 20-15, 6-6 WAC while Utah Tech sits sixth with an overall of 14-21, 5-7 WAC. The three-game series is set to air live on ESPN+ and live stats will also be available. Tickets are also available for Texan Nation who is making the trip to Utah.
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