- Box Score: Game 1

- Box Score: Game 2

KINGSVILLE – Tarleton (19-7, 5-0) hit the road for its first Lone Star Conference games of the season and swept Friday night's doubleheader against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
“I was really proud of our girls tonight,” said Tarleton head coach Julie Mata. “They fought hard and scrapped to score runs. It rained throughout both games and the pitchers did a great job of maintaining their control against a good hitting team.”
   
The reigning Lone Star Conference Players of the Week were at it again for Tarleton as a two-hit shutout by Samantha Swanda and a 2-3 night with a home run by Arianna Rodriguez lifted Tarleton to a 3-0 win against Texas A&M-Kingsville and a perfect 4-0 mark in conference play.
 
After a scoreless first couple of frames, Tarleton struck for its first run when Eryn Freitas – a pinch runner for McKaylee Pittman – came around to score on a double by Alex Orf. A throwing error on the play allowed Freitas to cross safely and Orf to advance to third.
 
Meanwhile, Swanda was in complete control on the mound.
 
The senior work a perfect second, fourth and fifth inning and maneuvered out of two-walk trouble in the third.
 
The TexAnn offense extended the Tarleton lead on the fourth pitch of the sixth inning when Rodriguez sent her eighth homer of the season – and third of conference play – soaring over the left field wall.
 
Tarleton added its third run on a fielder's choice in the seventh by Katie Welborn to plate Pittman.
 
On the other side of things, Swanda went the distance for her third complete game shutout of the season. The senior allowed two hits and five walks while striking out seven.
 
Rodriguez had the only multi-hit night going 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored while Orf (2B), Welborn, Pittman and Kelsey Latta (2B) had the other four of Tarleton's six total hits.
   
Despite surrendering the lead in the seventh inning, Tarleton rallied back for a run in the top of the eighth to keep its perfect conference record alive with a 4-3 win over the Javelinas in extra innings of the nightcap.
 
Tarleton struck for the first run of the game in the top of the first when Welborn drove an RBI double to right center, scoring Orf who led off the game with a single.
 
TAMUK answered with a run in the first and the second on RBI singles up the middle to lead 2-1 after two.
 
The TexAnns retaliated with back-to-back doubles in the top of the third starting with Welborn then by Swanda, who plated Welborn's pinch runner, Brittney Sharp.
 
Tarleton finally broke through for the lead in the fifth when Orf led off the inning with a home run to left field. The inning was set-up for more with bases loaded and one away, but the TexAnns couldn't get more than one.
 
After a scoreless sixth, Tarleton had two-on and two-out in the bottom of the seventh but a single and a throwing error allowed the game-tying run to cross the plate and force extras.
 
Tarleton won it in the top of the eighth when an Abigail Tammen single set up a Hannah Hancock pinch hit sacrifice fly to left, scoring Freitas.
 
The Javelinas got a hit in the bottom of the eighth but nothing more.
 
Randi Fentress went the distance for the win, allowing three runs – two earned – on 10 hits and seven walks while striking out 11.
 
Welborn led the way offensively going 3-4 with an RBI while Orf and Shelby Tinklepaugh also had two-hit nights. Swanda and Tammen had one hit each.
 
Tarleton will go for their second straight conference series sweep Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Kingsville.