- Box Score: Game 1

- Box Score: Game 2

STEPHENVILLE – The Tarleton TexAnns (23-8, 8-0) slugged their way to a perfect conference start and a doubleheader sweep of No. 24 Abilene Christian Friday night at Tarleton's Softball Complex.
   
Katie Welborn and Samantha Swanda each powered a 2-run home run off Abilene Christian ace Shelby Hall to lift Tarleton over the No. 24 Wildcats 7-1 in the first game of Friday night's Lone Star Conference doubleheader.
 
Tarleton got the scoring started when Welborn ripped a two-out double to the right center gap and came around to score on an error on the ACU first baseman that allowed Swanda to reach.
 
The TexAnns piled it on in the bottom of the second when Kelsey Latta led off the inning with a double and came around on a single by McKaylee Pittman. Another ACU error with Swanda batting allowed Pittman to later score and give Tarleton a 3-0 lead after two.
 
ACU got its only run of the game in the top of the third when Madison Buckley singled and moved to third on an illegal pitch and a stolen base and scored on a single.
 
Welborn broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth with a first-pitch bomb over the left field wall with Shelby Tinklepaugh on first to give Tarleton a 5-1 lead.
 
Swanda's blast came in the sixth when she drove the Hall pitch over the left center scoreboard to plate Welborn's pinch runner Courtney Vroman from second.
 
The senior pitcher then went back to the circle to complete her game on the mound and notch her 12^th victory of the season. She went seven innings allowing one run on five hits and three walks while striking out nine.
 
Welborn was 3-3 at the plate with two runs scored, two RBIs and a walk. Pittman also had a multi-hit game with a pair of singles.
   
Katie Welborn cranked a pair of home runs, including the go-ahead two-run shot in the bottom of the fifth, to lift Tarleton to the 6-4 win and doubleheader sweep of No. 24 Abilene Christian Friday night.
 
The TexAnns are now 8-0 in conference and 7-0 against ranked opponents this season.
 
Starter Randi Fentress ran into some problems in the top of the first, loading the bases, but worked out of it by getting a grounder back to the mound to turn a 1-2-3 double play and end the ACU threat.
 
The TexAnns' power surge continued in the first inning of the second game when Welborn and Swanda recorded their second home runs of the night by going deep to left center field, giving Tarleton a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
 
 After Fentress went 1-2-3 in the top of the second, Amber Sotelo gave the TexAnns some breathing room with a two-run homer to left field.
 
ACU got to the TexAnn starter in the third by loading the bases again and working back-to-back walks to plate a pair and make the score 4-2.
 
Tarleton coach Julie Mata made the switch to pitcher Kirby Crow, who got a quick pop up for the second out. Crow got out of the inning when Abigail Tammen chased down a line drive to the right center gap, which certainly would have cleared the bases.
 
ACU would not be done scoring, however, getting to Crow in the top of the fifth for a two-run home run to tie the game at 4-4 and chase Crow from the game. Mata turned back to Fentress out of the pen.
 
Fentress worked out of another jam in the fifth by getting a fly ball to right field with two away to strand runners on second and third in a tied game.
 
Tarleton answered in the bottom of the fifth when Katie Welborn recorded her fifth hit of the day, third home run of the series and second of the day by driving the Peyton Mosley pitch deep over the left field wall to plate Alex Orf and give Tarleton a 6-4 lead.
 
That lead would hold up for Tarleton as Fentress mowed down the Wildcats for the rest of the game.
 
Fentress went 5.1 innings two runs on two hits and seven walks while striking out five. Crow pitched 1.2 innings allowing the two-run home run.
 
Welborn was unretired again, going 2-2 with two home runs and three RBIs and a walk. Tammen also had two hits.
 
Tarleton returns to action Saturday at noon as they go for the sweep of Abilene Christian at Tarleton Softball Complex in Stephenville.