STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS – Tarleton State dealt visiting University of the Incarnate Word a pair of losses in Lone Star Conference softball action on Friday night at the TSU Softball Complex, 2-1 in eight innings and 9-4. (Game 1, Game 2)

In the first game, the TexAnns (25-22, 13-13) used a walk, sacrifice bunt, balk and two-out single from Bailee Mauldin to take an early 1-0 lead.  That hit was the last one TSU would get off Briana Sanchez (San Antonio/Marshall HS) until extra innings.

The game almost did not go to extra innings.  Randi Fentress held the Cardinals (30-22, 13-13) scoreless through the first six innings.  In the top of the seventh, Kandace Patek led off with a pinch-hit single and Kim Hanson (Devine/Devine HS) drew a walk.  A sacrifice bunt put both runners in scoring position, but then Fentress retired the next batters.  With two outs, freshman Anna-Marie Moore (Aloha, OR/Aloha HS) came through with an infield single to tie the game.

In the top of the eighth inning, the Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs, but could not score.  In the bottom of the eighth, Arianna Rodriguez led off with a single and advanced to second on McKaylee Pittman's one-out single.  Fentress followed with the game-winning single.  She improved to 13-14 in the circle after allowing seven hits, one run and three walks in 8.0 innings.  Sanchez took the loss despite only allowing four hits, two runs and three walks in 7.1 innings while striking out 11.

In the second game, the TexAnns scored in every inning en route to an easy 9-4 win.  Melody Mayse led the offensive attack by going 4-for-4 with three runs, three RBI's, three stolen bases and a home run.  They cracked three home runs as a team, all solo shots.  Courtney Vroman was 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored.  Brenna Hennan picked up the win after allowing 11 hits, four runs and three walks while striking out two in 7.0 innings.

Whitney Waltrip (Orangevale, CA/Casa Robles HS) took the loss for the Cardinals after allowing five earned runs in 4.0 innings.  UIW finished the game with 11 hits as Taylor Johnson (Schertz/Clemens HS), Melanie Padilla (San Antonio/Marshall HS), Hanson and Waltrip each had two hits.  Hanson cracked her team-high seventh home run of the year and she drove in three runs.  Waltrip added a pair of doubles.

The two teams will match up for the final game of the series on Saturday at noon.
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