- Box Score: Game 1

- Box Score: Game 2

SAN ANTONIO – Tarleton (21-8, 6-0) took a break from conference action and split a pair Tuesday against St. Mary's.
   
Alex Orf and Arianna Rodriguez lifted Tarleton to its seventh straight win with authority in the first game of Tuesday's first game against St. Mary's, leading off the ninth inning with back-to-back jacks to lead the TexAnns to a 7-5 win.
 
Tarleton got the offense going right away when Rodriguez tripled to right field, just two batters into the contest.
 
After a groundout forced Rodriguez to stay put, Samantha Swanda delivered with a two-out single to left to plate the first run of the game.
 
In the third inning, Katie Welborn, who entered the game seven for her last 11 at-bats, padded the TexAnn lead with a solo home run.
 
The TexAnns added another run in the fourth when Orf doubled home Kelsey Latta and moved Abigail Tammen to third with one away. Tarleton couldn't get any more despite having a pair in scoring position, but did hold a 3-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, however, St. Mary's finally got things going offensively.
 
After a lead-off and a flyout, Swanda surrendered back-to-back walks to load the bases. Pinch hitter Jared Gonzalez ripped a double into left field to bring the Rattlers within one at 3-2.
 
Tarleton's offense provided some insurance in the top of the seventh when Rodriguez led off the inning with a bunt single and a stolen base. She came around to score on Swanda's second RBI single of the game.
 
Bailee Mauldin then reached on an error which allowed Swanda to score from second and give Tarleton a 5-2 lead which they took into the bottom of the seventh.
 
The Rattlers would not roll over, however, leading off the bottom of the seventh with a single and a two-run homer to cut the Tarleton lead to 5-4.
 
After a walk to Gonzalez, St. Mary's sent a double to left field to tie the score at 5-5 and chase Swanda from the game. Kirby Crow was brought in for relief and got three quick fly outs to force extras.
 
Randi Fentress replaced Crow and pitched two scoreless, one-hit innings to keep Tarleton alive and seal the game in the ninth following Orf and Rodriguez's bombs in the ninth.
 
Swanda went six innings allowing five runs on seven hits, six walks and six strikeouts while Fentress earned the win. Crow's perfect three batters ended a Rattler threat in the seventh and kept Tarleton alive.
 
Tarleton muscled 11 hits in the opening game with Orf (2), Rodriguez (3) and Swanda (2) coming up with multi-hit games while Welborn, Mauldin, Latta and Tammen had one hit each.
   
Tarleton's seven-game win streak came to an end with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh in game two against St. Mary's, falling to the Rattlers 7-6.
 
The TexAnns got the scoring started with a three-spot in the top of the first when Orf scored on a Welborn single. Welborn and Mauldin later came around on a Tammen double to right center.
 
St. Mary's answered with four in the bottom of the first on a grand slam.
 
Tarleton came back to knot the score at 4-4 on an RBI double by Amber Sotelo to plate Kelsey Latta with two away.
 
Welborn and Tammen kept their hot bats going in the fifth inning when they put Tarleton on top again with home runs in the inning. The TexAnns led 6-4.
 
The lead would not hold, however, as St. Mary's got the two runs back on a home run and a passed ball which allowed a run to come across.
 
The Rattlers would not be denied as they walked off in the bottom of the seventh with a home run.
 
“We played solid but didn't capitalize on some scoring opportunities in game two that we did in game one,” said head coach Julie Mata.
 
Crow took the loss in relief, pitching 1.1 innings allowing two hits and one run. Fentress was the starter and went 4.2 innings allowing six runs – five earned – on four hits with four strikeouts.
 
Welborn and Tammen had three and two hits, respectively, while Orf, Rodriguez, Swanda, Mauldin, Latta, Sotelo and Eryn Freitas each had one as well.
 
Tarleton returns home this weekend for an LSC match-up with No. 19 Abilene Christian beginning at 5 p.m.