STEPHENVILLE - After being on away on a four-game road stand, Tarleton returns home this weekend for the final series of the regular season - a three-game set against Incarnate Word beginning at 5 p.m. Friday.

The TexAnns are coming off an emotional walk-off loss at No. 8 Texas Woman's Wednesday night, in which both teams wore orange in memory of former TWU athlete Abby Burns who passed away earlier this week.

This matchup is the final series of a tough stretch run in which the TexAnns have played six games against nationally ranked teams and all nine games against teams ranked in the top five of the South Central Region. Incarnate Word is also ranked in the region, coming in this week at No. 7.

AT A GLANCE

Records: Tarleton State TexAnns, 23-22 (11-13 LSC); Incarnate Word Cardinals, 30-20 (13-11 LSC)

Live Stats: Will be available online at TarletonSports.com or on your mobile device at www.sidearmstats.com/tarleton/softball/mobile.aspx.

Radio: Friday night's doubleheader will be broadcasted live on 90.5 FM KTRL in Stephenville or online at www.tarleton.edu/ktrl/sports.html.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS

Game 1: Randi Fentress, TSU (12-14, 3.37 ERA) vs Briana Sanchez, UIW (17-10, 2.35 ERA)

Game 2: Brenna Hennan, TSU (11-7, 3.86 ERA) vs Whitney Waltrip, UIW (12-9, 4.24 ERA)

Game 3: Randi Fentress, TSU (12-14, 3.37 ERA) vs Briana Sanchez, UIW (17-10, 2.35 ERA)

LAST TIME OUT

Tarleton suffered a 4-3 loss in extra innings to No. 8 Texas Woman's, who blasted a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth after the TexAnns took a 3-2 lead in the top of the frame. The teams were playing an emotional contest after TWU learned of the passing of former student-athlete Abby Burns, who lost her battle with leukemia earlier this week.

SERIES HISTORY

Tarleton and Incarnate Word have met 38 times since their inaugural meeting in 1997, with the TexAnns earning 20 wins. From 1997 to 2004, the TexAnns and Cardinals met every season before not playing again until 2008. Since the series reconvened in 2008, Incarnate Word has won 11 of the past 16 meetings - with 10 of those meetings coming in San Antonio.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?

This weekend is a battle of playoff seeding for the Lone Star Conference tournament. The TexAnns are currently holding onto the No. 6 seed for the LSC Tournament with an 11-13 record. Abilene Christian is also sitting at 11-13 but Tarleton owns the tiebreaker over the Wildcats after taking two games of the series last month. The TexAnns can make only two moves in the seedings this weekend, stand strong at six or fall to No. 7. Abilene Christian is hosting Midwestern State for a three-game set this weekend.

SIXTH INNING MAGIC
In the stretch run of the last four series, Tarleton has taken complete control of the sixth innings. The TexAnns have outscored their opponents 22-8 in the sixth innings of the last nine games.

FENTRESS AT THE DISH
Over the last nine games, Randi Fentress has found her groove at the plate hitting .429 with a double and four RBIs over that stretch. She has also reached base safely in the six straight games she's played for Tarleton.

CLOSING IN ON MORE SCHOOL RECORDS
Arianna Rodriguez is already the school's all-time leader in runs scored (144), hits (203), home runs (39), RBIs (145) and total bases (377) over her career at Tarleton entering the weekend. In this series, she'll have the opportunity to etch her name into two more records as she needs just eight more at bats and three more doubles to become the leader in those categories as well.

MAYSE EYEING TARLETON TRIPLES RECORD

Freshman outfielder Melody Mayse is currently leading the Lone Star Conference in triples (7) this season and she is currently on pace to top Tarleton's all-time season mark for three-baggers - 9 set by Kelli Gayle in 2007. The freshman outfielder is currently tied for fifth place in the nation in three-baggers.

AT HOME ON THE BASES

McKaylee Pittman and Arianna Rodriguez are leading the team in on-base percentage this season at .515 and .494, respectively. Both TexAnns reached base safely in Wednesday's game at Texas Woman's to extend their current streaks. Rodriguez has now reached base safely in 12 straight games while Pittman has reached in 11 straight. The longest such streak by a TexAnn this season is held by Melody Mayse, who recently held a 14-game on base streak.

HEADING THE FIRST ANNUAL SPRING FESTIVAL

Regardless of the outcome of the weekend, Tarleton has already qualified for its 12th trip to the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament. The TexAnns will head to Canyon where the Softball Championships, Baseball Championships and Track and Field Championships are being held at the same host institution for the first annual LSC Spring Championship Festival. The opponent and time for the TexAnns will be announced next week.