- Box Score
SAN ANTONIO – The Tarleton TexAnns improved to 4-3 on the season after claiming a 6-1 win over Texas A&M-International on Sunday in their final game of the St. Mary's Classic.
Tarleton went 4-1 on the weekend and had one of the best records in the tournament. Two teams finished 5-0, but the TexAnns' record was next.
Tarleton's Julie Norris tallied her third win of the weekend. She gave up her first earned run of the season after pitching 32 straight innings without giving up an earned run. Katie Smith pitched the final three innings of the victory.
“We hit the ball and ran the bases really well,” said head coach Julie Mata. “However, the brightest point was our defensive play.”
Tarleton scored two runs in the bottom of the first frame. Rebecca Wessels singled to short to open the inning before stealing second. Tami Sutton singled to left and advanced to second on the throw to put runners on second and third. When Brittany Terry struck out, the catcher missed the ball but threw her out at first. However, Sutton went to third on the throw and Wessels scored. With two outs, Norris doubled before April Gonzalez singled to score Norris. Tarleton led 2-0.
In the bottom of the third with two outs, Adrianna Rodriquez singled before advancing to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Victoria Kelly then singled to score Rodriguez to give the TexAnns a 3-0 advantage.
In the top of the fourth, TAMIU scored one run on two hits and an error to cut the score to 3-1.
In the second half of the inning with one out, Wessels walked before stealing second. Sutton singled and advanced to second on the throw when the defense tried – but failed – to throw Wessels out at the plate. After a pop up, Norris singled to put runners at the corners before Gonzalez got a single to score Sutton. Tarleton took a 5-1 lead.
Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Wessels led off with a single on a bunt. She stole second before a pop up, but Terry singled to score Wessels. The TexAnns won 6-1.
Norris pitched four innings and gave up two hits with one run, one walk and four strikeouts. Smith pitched three innings and gave up one hit with two walks and a strikeout.
Tarleton will return to action next weekend, Feb. 12-14, when it travels to Arkadelphia, Ark. for the Ouachita Baptist Classic. The TexAnns will play six games at the tournament.
