STEPHENVILLE – After falling to the Mean Green earlier in the season, Tarleton State turned the tables winning the Tuesday night clash 6-3 at the Tarleton State Softball Complex.
The Texans (24-15, 6-6 WAC) jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as the Purple and White split the home-and-home with the Mean Green (28-13, 10-5 AMERICAN) this season.
Tarleton State has now won nine of their last 11 games dating back to the 15-1 (5) win over the Lady Panthers from Prairie View A&M. During the 11-game stretch, the Texans have knocked off Grand Canyon twice winning the series 2-1, handed the then No. 1 team in the conference their first two conference losses with back-to-back wins to secure the series over Seattle U 2-1 and then swept Utah Tech on the road last weekend.
In the bottom of the first with the bases juiced, Austin Germain reached on a fielder’s choice as Molly Cochran scored from third followed by Tristyn who advanced to third and scored on the throw putting the Purple and White up 2-0 early on in the game.
The bottom of the third inning is when the Texans made built a wall too big for North Texas to overcome. Trull stepped to the plate in the bottom half of the third and went yard for the seventh time this season on a 1-1 count to left to make it 3-0. Kalyn Hill then singled and advanced to second on an error putting her in scoring position. Mikaila Gilliland then went in to pinch run for Hill.
Germain then sent a ball to center field doubling scoring Gilliland to push it to a 4-0 lead flipping the table from the last matchup with the Mean Green when they were up 4-0, the eventual final score of the first meeting.
Two batters later Jaelynn Duke stepped to the plate with seven homers to her name. She didn’t wait long to add another as she swung first pitch sending a ball down the left field line for a two-run shot to make it 6-0. Duke has now hit homers in back-to-back games, both on first pitches of the at-bat.
In the top of the fourth, North Texas finally broke through as Ausha Moore. Reached ona throwing error and advanced to second as Madison Conley and Kailyn Bearpaw scored to make it a 6-2 game. The following inning, Elizabeth Moffitt hit a sac fly to right scoring Cierra Simon to make it 6-3, the final.
For the Texans, Hannah Blincoe (W, 7-8) earned the start in the circle and went four innings. During her time in the circle, she allowed just two runs (none earned) on three hits while she struck out five and walked a trio. Alexa Rehmeier then took over in the circle as she went 1.2 IP. She gave up just one run (earned) on two hits while she sat one down and walked one as well. Shelby Schultz (S, 2) came in to slam the door and did just that as she went 1.1 IP. During her time in the circle, she allowed just a single hit while she struck out three and walked one earning her second save of her career.
For the Mean Green, Skylar Savage started the game but went just a third-of-an-inning as she allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit while she three. Kayleigh Smith then went the next 2.1 IP. She gave up four runs (all earned) on four hits while sitting down one. Anneca Anderson tossed the final 3.1 IP. She allowed no runs on no hits as she struck out four.
Tarleton State will continue their homestand as they will return to WAC play on Friday as Utah Valley will come to town for a three-game series Friday-Saturday. The doubleheader on Friday will air live on ESPN+ while Saturday’s matchup will air live on WAC International. Live Stats will be available for the entire series. Friday’s doubleheader is set for a 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. first pitch with the final game of the series set for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.
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