- Box Score: Game 1

- Box Score: Game 2

CANYON – Tarleton's offense exploded in the tournament opening doubleheader against Regis College in the West Texas A&M Classic Friday afternoon and the TexAnns (7-4) went on to claim the sweep.
   
Tarleton scored multiple runs in four of the five innings needed to knock off Regis in the tournament opening game, 13-4.
 
The TexAnns started with a three-run top of the first, which got started when Bailee Mauldin drove in the first two runs on a base hit to the left side. Kelsey Latta added an RBI single later in the inning to score pinch-runner Brittney Sharp.
 
After Regis cut into the TexAnn lead in the top of the second, Tarleton led off its half of the second with an Eryn Freitas single and an Alex Orf double. They both came around to score on sacrifice flies by Arianna Rodriguez and Katie Welborn to extend the Tarleton lead to 5-1.
 
Regis scored two more in the ensuing half inning and the game stayed 5-3 until the bottom of the fourth. That's when Tarleton struck it big at the plate.
 
Marcie Rodrgiuez led off the inning with a triple and came in to score on an error by the left fielder to lead things off.
 
Two batters later, Orf tripled and Arianna singled to plate the senior and extend the lead to 7-3. After a Welborn single, Samantha Swanda cranked one out of the park to bring three more across the plate and make it a 10-3 affair.
 
Regis added one more in the top of the fifth, but Tarleton ended the game with a three-run bottom on a Marcie home run and a two-RBI double by Mauldin.
 
“I was really proud of the way we played offensively,” said head coach Julie Mata. “Marcie and Eryn really stepped up offensively and we were aggressive at the plate. That's good to see.”
 
The top three hitters in Tarleton's lineup – Orf, Arianna, and Welborn – each posted multi-hit games, along with Marcie and Mauldin. Mauldin led the team with three hits in the team's 14-hit afternoon.
 
Swanda earned the win with five innings of work allowing three earned runs on eight hits while striking out eight.
   
In the second game, Tarleton used a six-run sixth inning to complete the sweep against Regis 7-2.
 
After three innings of scoreless softball, Welborn struck first for the TexAnns with a home run over the center field wall to give Tarleton a 1-0 lead.
 
Leading 1-0 in the sixth, Tarleton took advantage of an error to open the flood gates.
 
Swanda hit her second homer of the day after a one-out error allowed Welborn to reach second.
 
After three straight walks loaded the bases, Marcie, Freitas and Orf answered with three straight RBI singles to extend the lead to 6-0. Arianna drove in Marcie on a sacrifice fly for the last run of the inning.
 
Tarleton had a runner at third in the top of the seventh but couldn't add any more to the scoreboard.
 
Regis broke up the shutout in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn't enough to deny the TexAnns.
 
Seven different TexAnns had a hit and Swanda was the only player to record a multi-hit game, while six different players recorded an RBI on the afternoon.
 
Randi Fentress got the win by working six and two-thirds innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four. Kirby Crow came in to get the last out on two pitches.
 
“Randi pitched another great game today,” said Mata. “Katie really gave our offense a lift with a big home run. It was just a great all-around effort today.”
 
Tarleton returns to action today against New Mexico Highlands for a 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. doubleheader. The game was originally scheduled for noon, but pushed back due to weather.