Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 STEPHENVILLE – After dropping the first game, Tarleton rallied back to take a late lead only to see it slip away in the top of the seventh as Midwestern State swept the series opening doubleheader Friday night.
   
An early deficit proved to be too much for Tarleton to overcome in the first game of Friday's doubleheader as Midwestern scored four in the first and two in the second en route to a 6-1 victory over Tarleton.
 
The Mustangs got to Tarleton starter Randi Fentress early, scoring four runs on two hits – the big blast a three-run home run – to put the Mustangs up 4-0 after the first half inning of play.
 
Tarleton answered back with one in the bottom of the first on Kelsey Latta's first big fly of the season over the left center wall. The TexAnns had a chance for more with runners on second and third with two outs, but couldn't get any closer.
 
The TexAnns threatened again in the fourth with a pair of walks and a single by McKaylee Pittman to load the bases with one away, but couldn't bring any runs across as Amber Clifford had a line drive up the middle snagged and turned into an inning-ending double play.
 
Tarleton had base runners in each of the final three innings, getting two on in the fifth and seventh and one in the sixth, but couldn't plate any more runs.
 
Fentress took the loss after pitching all seven innings allowing six runs – four earned – on eight hits, four walks and three strikeouts.
 
Tarleton managed only five hits in the opener with one hit each from Melody Mayse, Latta, Arianna Rodriguez, Pittman and Courtney Vroman.
   
A furious rally came up just short as Tarleton fell 11-10 in the nightcap of Friday's doubleheader.
 
Midwestern struck first when a pair of singles brought one across to put the Mustangs up 1-0 after one.
 
Tarleton, as they did in the first game, put up a solo run in the bottom of the first when Rodriguez singled to right field to bring home Mayse, who led off the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Latta.
 
After trading goose eggs in the second, Midwestern State took a 2-1 lead in the third on an RBI single through the middle.
 
The big inning came in the top of the fifth when Tarleton pitcher Brenna Hennan loaded the bases to open the inning.
 
The junior hurler appeared close to working out of trouble with a strikeout and a pop up to Latta at second base. With two strikes and two outs, MSU hit the big blow of the inning – a bases clearing triple to the right center gap. They added one more in the inning to lead 6-1.
 
MSU had a chance for another big inning in the sixth by once again loading the bases with nobody out, but Hennan high-stepped out of trouble allowing just one run to come across. MSU led 7-1 after six and a half innings.
 
Tarleton's offense came alive in the bottom of the sixth, starting with a first-pitch base hit by Mauldin to lead things off.
 
After a Pittman walk, Courtney Vroman laced an RBI double down the left field line to bring Mauldin home for a 7-2 score. Amber Clifford was hit by the next pitch to load the bases with still none out.
 
After a fielder's choice recorded an out at the plate, pinch hitter Fentress recorded an RBI hit by pitch to bring home Vroman from third. A sacrifice fly from Mayse to plate Clifford made it 7-4 MSU and a Latta single loaded the bases with two away for Rodriguez.
 
The school's all-time home run took an outside pitch and crushed it over the right center field wall to give Tarleton its first lead of the day at 8-7.
 
After Midwestern answered back with four in the seventh to take an 11-8 lead, Tanner Pipkin connected for a two-run bomb to deep left field to bring Tarleton within one.
 
The rally was cut short on a questionable strike three call with two outs, a full count and leadoff hitter Melody Mayse on deck.
 
Hennan took the loss in her 200-pitch effort, throwing all seven innings allowing 11 runs – nine earned – on 18 hits and three walks with six strikeouts.
 
Rodriguez was 2-3 at the plate with five RBIs while Pipkin was 1-4 with two RBIs. Courtney Vroman also had a two-hit night while Mayse, Latta, Mauldin and Clifford had one hit each.
 
Tarleton will try to salvage game three of the series tomorrow at 12 p.m. A free hot dog cookout will take place prior to the contest.