DURANT, Okla. – The Tarleton TexAnns split their first two games at the 2010 Lone Star Conference Crossover Tournament at the Multi-Sports Complex in Durant, Okla.
The TexAnns defeated East Central (10-4) before dropping the second game to Central Oklahoma (2-1) with a walk-off home run.
“If we can ever get our offense and our defense going at the same time, we are going to be a tough team,” said head coach Julie Mata. “We had a great game tonight where our offense was going strong, but then we left runners on base in game two and didn't give our pitcher any support. Both of our pitchers had good games today.”
Tarleton will return to action on Saturday, March 27 against No. 7 Midwestern State at 10 a.m. before facing Cameron at 2 p.m. The game against MSU will be broadcast online here.
Tarleton 10, East Central 4
Rebecca Wessels opened the top of the first inning with a bunt single before stealing second. With one out, Julie Norris got a sacrifice bunt to move Wessels to third before a single by April Gonzalez scored the runner and put the TexAnns ahead 1-0.
ECU scored one run on an error in the bottom of the first to tie the game at one run apiece. Then, in the bottom of the second, the Lady Tigers added one run on three hits to take the 2-1 lead.
In the top of the fourth, Gonzalez singled to left, but the senior was picked off at first. Arianna Rodriguez then hailed a home run to left field to tie the game at two runs apiece.
ECU struck again with one run on three hits and an error in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-2 advantage, but Tarleton scored in each of the next three innings.
In the top of the fifth frame, Brittany Terry doubled down the left field line before a run batted in single from Sutton scored the runner, and the center fielder went to second on the throw. Sutton was then caught stealing third before Amy Gabbert singled through the right side. Wessels was out on a sacrifice bunt prior to Victoria Kelly singled to right to score the run while she advanced on an error by the right fielder. Gabbert scored. Norris then singled up the middle to score Kelly as the TexAnns took a 5-3 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Rodriguez opened up the frame with a single down the left field line. Ashlyn Aston reached on a fielder's choice that got Rodriguez out at second. Terry was hit by a pitch as was Sutton to load the bases. Gabbert the singled down the left field line to score two. Wesseles then reached on a fielder's choice that got Sutton out with an unassisted tag by the shortstop. A walk by Kelly loaded the bases again before a strikeout ended the inning.
In the top of the final inning, Gonzalez opened the inning with a walk. Elyse Tatum pinch ran for Gonzalez before Rodriguez was hit by a pitch. Aston reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt to load the bases. With two outs, Gabbert singled down the left field line to score two. Wessels then singled to right to score Aston and give the TexAnns a 10-3 lead.
The Lady Tigers tried to mount a comeback, but ECU only got one run on two hits in the bottom of the seventh, and Tarleton won 10-4.
Norris got the win pitching all seven innings and giving up 11 hits and four runs, two earned. She walked one and struck out five.
Central Oklahoma 2, Tarleton 1
The TexAnns left 11 on and allowed just five base runners to Central Oklahoma as Tarleton's Katie Smith pitched a great game against UCO, but two home runs by the Bronchos proved to be the difference.
The TexAnns got runners on base in all but the second inning, but Tarleton could not get the runners around to the plate. Tarleton had runners in scoring position in the first, third, fifth and sixth innings without crossing the plate.
Kacie Edwards nailed a pitch over the right field wall in the bottom of the fourth to give the Bronchos the 1-0 lead.
The TexAnns loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the inning without Tarleton scoring.
In the top of the seventh inning, trailing 1-0, Kelly walked to open the frame before Norris was hit by a pitch. With one out, Rodriguez reached when the fifth baseman had an errant throw and Kelly came around to score and tie the game.
However, in the bottom of the seventh, the first batter up, Tiger, hit a home run over the center field fence to claim the walk-off home run.
Smith pitched all six innings and allowed two earned runs with just one walk. She did not have a strikeout, but the TexAnn junior allowed just four hits in the outing.
