CANYON – The Tarleton TexAnn softball team fell twice to No. 18 West Texas A&M on Friday in Canyon in a Lone Star Conference South Division doubleheader.
The two teams will play a single game on Saturday, April 10. The series finale is set to begin at 1 p.m. in Canyon.
West Texas A&M 10, Tarleton 4
The Lady Buffaloes scored a run in the bottom of the first inning on a hit to take the early lead before Tarleton took the lead in the top of the second.
April Gonzalez singled to left before Brittany Terry singled to center. Tami Sutton reached on a fielder's choice when the defense threw Gonzalez out at third. Elyse Tatum pinch ran for Terry before Amy Gabbert singled to center to load the bases. Ashlyn Aston singled to short to score Sutton and Tatum. Tarleton led 2-1.
WTAMU added four runs on three hits and an error in the bottom of the second to take the lead for good before Tarleton added a run in the top of the third. With one out, Julie Norris singled to left center before Arianna Rodriguez singled to left. The two runners stole second and third before Gonzalez singled to score Norris. Tarleton trailed 5-3.
The Lady Buffs scored three runs on four hits and an error in the bottom of the fourth before adding two runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth. WTAMU led 10-3.
With one out in the top of the seventh, Norris doubled to left center before she advanced to third on a ground out by Rodriguez. Gonzalez then singled to center to score Norris, but Terry struck out swinging to end the game with the TexAnns falling, 10-4.
Norris got the loss to fall to 12-11 and gave up 12 hits, 10 runs (six earned) while walking four and five strikeouts.
West Texas A&M 12, Tarleton 2
The TexAnns jumped out early in the top of the first. Rebecca Wessels walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Victoria Kelly walked before Norris grounded out on a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third. With two outs, Gronzalez walked before Wessels scored on an illegal pitch. Tarleton led 1-0.
The Lady Buffs scored seven runs on five hits to take a 7-1 lead before they added one run in the bottom of the third on three hits to make it 8-1.
In the top of the fourth frame, Terry singled to open the inning before Sutton did the same. Gabbert singled to load the bases. All the runners advanced on a wild pitch, including Terry who scored to cut the lead to 8-2.
WTAMU added four runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth to make it 12-2.
Katie Smith pitched the first two innings and gave up seven runs on six hits while walking three and striking out one. Brandie Simmons pitched two innings and gave up five runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout.
