AUSTIN – The Tarleton TexAnn softball team dropped a doubleheader at St. Edward's Tuesday, losing 3-2 in the first game before falling 6-0 in game two.
The TexAnns fall to 18-22 overall with the two losses.
Tarleton will return to action when it hosts Abilene Christian in a three-game Lone Star Conference series in Stephenville. The two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 16 before a single game at noon on Saturday, April 17.
St. Edward's 3, Tarleton 2
The TexAnns jumped out early, scoring in the top of the first inning. Rebecca Wessels led off the inning with a walk before Victoria Kelly singled to left field and Julie Norris singled up the middle to score the leadoff batter. Three straight strikeouts ended the inning as the TexAnns led, 1-0.
St. Edward's then scored two runs in the bottom of the first frame to take the 2-1 lead on one hit – a triple to right that scored the first two batters of the inning which had walked. SEU led, 2-1.
The TexAnns tied the game at two runs apiece in the top of the third. Wessels opened the inning with single to third on a bunt before Kelly singled to second. Norris then singled to third to load the bases, but an error by the third baseman scored Wessels to make it 2-2.
Then, in the bottom of the fifth inning, SEU scored the winning run on two hits to take the 3-2 victory. Tarleton got runners on in the sixth and seventh, but the TexAnns couldn't get across the plate.
Katie Smith took the loss after pitching the complete six innings and allowing three runs on four hits. She struck out five and walked three.
St. Edward's 6, Tarleton 0
Wessels started the second game off with a single to the shortstop and a steal of second base. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third, but two straight outs ended the lone TexAnn threat of game two as no other runner got past first base.
The Hilltoppers scored two runs on three hits and an error in the bottom of the third before tacking on three runs on two hits in the bottom of the fifth. Leading 5-0, SEU added one run on two hits and two errors in the bottom of the sixth to secure the 6-0 victory.
SEU pitcher Diana Cezeaux retired the last 10 batters she faced and 16 of the last 17 with a walk being the only base runner in that span.
Brandie Simmons got the loss for the TexAnns after pitching the first 4.2 innings and giving up five runs on five hits with two walks. Norris pitched the final 1.1 innings and gave up one unearned run on two hits with one strikeout.
