STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton State Softball’s record-breaking season continues to roll on as the Texans secured the series win Friday night over the Lancers of California Baptist 3-2, 6-0.
Game 1 was one for the ages as the Purple and White rallied in the bottom of the seventh to tie things up before walking it off in the 11th thanks to a shot to left center by Fox. Game 2 was all Texans as Tarleton State jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as the home team secured the series after taking Game 2 of the series 6-0.
Tarleton State 3 California Baptist 2
Early on it looked as if the Texans were going to have a battle to secure the No. 2 seed and it was anything but easy as the Purple and White pulled out Game 1 to set Tarleton State up for a nice path through the 2025 WAC Tournament.
The host of the WAC Tournament this season got things going in the third when Kate Penberthy hit a two-run shot to left center to make it a 2-0 Lancers lead.
In the bottom half of the fame, Tarleton State cut the lead in half as Hannah Reed hit her first career homer to make it 2-1. The score remained that way until the bottom of the seventh when things got interesting.
Isabella Bojkovic only needed to see one pitch in her pinch hit at-bat as she hit a single to left scoring Riley McDaniel to tie it up 2-2 who had pinch ran for Jaelynn Duke following a seventh-inning lead-off double.
The game tied 2-2 headed to extras and remained that way for the next three innings. In the bottom of the 11th with bases loaded and just one out on the board. Fox sat one down in left center scoring the walk-off seed-clinching run in Duke as the Texans took Game 1 3-2 in 11 innings.
For the Texans, Shelby Schultz (W, 15-4) tossed her seventh complete game of the season as she went all 11 innings. During her time in the circle, the freshman southpaw allowed just two runs (both earned) on nine hits as she struck out 12 besting her previous high of nine last hit vs. Utah Valley on April 11. Shelby Schultz tossed 171 pitches in the 3-2 walk-off win.
For the Lancers, they used a single arm as well in Morgan McConnell (L, 8-17) who went the distance for the road team. McConnell tossed 10.1 IP allowing three runs (all earned) on 11 hits while she walked three and struck out a trio as well taking the loss after pitch 179 found the outfield off the bat of Fox to secure the 3-2 win for the Texans.
Tarleton State 6 California Baptist 0
Game 2 was a 180 compared to Game 1 as the Texans scored early and never looked back completing their seventh shutout of the season.
In the bottom of the second with Austin Germain on, Tristyn Trull doubled to right center scoring Germain to make it 1-0 in the first. Kalyn Hill then followed with a sinlge up the middle scoring Trull to make it 2-0 Texans in the first.
The third inning saw Germain single through the right side as Reed dove headfirst into home to make it 3-0.
Trull once again made her presence known in the fifth as she singled to right center scoring Reed and Fox to make it 5-0. Kiana Gibson then hit a sac fly to left scoring McDaniel (pinch ran Germain) to push the lead to 6-0.
For the Texans, Hannah Blincoe (W, 10-10) went the distance meaning the Purple and White had to use just two arms Friday night to secure the series. Blincoe picked up her 10th win of the season marking the second rock slinger for the Texans this season to hit double digit wins. The senior transfer from Houston went all seven innings as she allowed no runs on just two hits while she walked two and struck out 11. She was also credited with a wild pitch.
For the Lancers, Annika Hollingsworth (L, 9-10) went the distance as well tossing six innings as she allowed six runs (all earned) on six hits while she walked seven and struck out a pair.
The Texans and Lancers will now meet Saturday for the final game of the series as the Purple and White look to earn their third conference series sweep of the season. The game will air live on ESPN+ at 11 a.m. and live stats will also be available. Tickets are also available for Texan Nation who want to support the squad in person and send the Texans eight seniors out in style.
Tarleton State will know eight seniors postgame on Saturday. The seniors are Blincoe, Germain, Gibson, Bella Hernandez, Hill, Kynlee Marquez, Alexa Rehmeier, and Trull.
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