Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CANYON – Riding the momentum of last Sunday's win over Southern Nazarene, Tarleton State swept the opening day of the Woodward WT Invitational in Canyon with wins over in-region foes, Colorado State-Pueblo and Colorado Mesa.
   
Tarleton got a pair of clutch base hits in the opening game of the tournament, including a walk-off RBI single from Amber Clifford in the bottom of the eighth to take the tourney opener in extra innings.
 
After Randi Fentress dueled the Thunderwolves starter zero-for-zero over the first three innings, Colorado State-Pueblo finally broke through for the first runs of the game in the top of the fourth on a 2-RBI triple to right center to give the Wolves a 2-0 advantage.
 
The TexAnns continued to trail heading into the bottom of the fifth before the Tarleton bats came to life.
 
After a walk, single and error loaded the bases for the TexAnns, Clifford stepped up and delivered her first RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to center to plate pinch-runner Eryn Freitas. Kelsey Latta reloaded the bases with a single before RBI base hits from Taylor Wells and Bailee Mauldin gave Tarleton a 3-0 lead after five.
 
The Thunderwolves answered right back with an RBI single and a bases loaded walk in the sixth to retake the lead 4-3, but Fentress stopped the bleeding by getting a fly ball to left field for the final out.
 
After Fentress kept the game at 4-3 through the seventh, Tarleton headed into the final frame down by one and just three outs left.
 
With two outs and runners on first and second, pinch hitter Rachel Brownlow kept the game alove by coaxing a walk from a full count to bring up freshman outfielder, Kendra Mendoza. The rookie laced a 2-2 pitch into left field to bring home Latta from third and send the game to extras.
 
In the final frame, Fentress got a fly out and a double play grounder to second base as Erika Menchaca threw out Moriah Turne at third base to end the inning. Turne was placed at second base to begin the inning, as is custom in tournament play.
 
For the TexAnns, Ashley Findorak was sent to second base to begin the bottom of the eighth and after a popped up bunt attempt, Clifford drove her in from second with an RBI single to right field for the game-winner.
 
"It was a total team effort today," said Tarleton head coach Julie Mata. "Ashley Findorak came in and made a great defensive play and then she and Amber combined to bring home the winning run."
 
Fentress earned the win after throwing all eight innings allowing four earned runs on six hits, four walks and three strikeouts.
 
As a team, Tarleton musteres nine hits in the opening game with Wells and Latta collecting a pair of base hits for multi-hit games. Mauldin, Mendoza, Menchaca, Mikayla Stogsdill and Clifford recorded the remaining hits for the TexAnns.
   
In the final game of the first day, the TexAnn offense provided plenty of support for Brenna Hennan who tossed her third career complete game shutout while allowing just two hits in a 7-0 blanking of Colorado Mesa.
 
Tarleton got the scoring started in the bottom of the first when Melody Mayse opened the game with a single and, after being moved to second on a bunt, came around to score on an RBI single by Mauldin to put the TexAnns up 1-0.
 
In the bottom of the second, Tarleton exploded for five runs after opening the inning with five straight base runners on four singles and an error. Of those singles, the ones hit by Lauren Grisham and Mayse produced runs as Tarleton extended the lead to 3-0.
 
Bailee Mauldin had the big hit of the inning when she ripped a 2-RBI single through the right side to bring home Grisham and Menchaca and push the Tarleton lead to 5-0. The final run of the inning scored on a wild pitch during the following at bat for a 6-0 lead.
 
The TexAnns added the final run in the third on a sacrifice fly from Grisham after a Taylor Wells single and Amber Clifford double set up the scoring opportunity.
 
Meanwhile, junior pitcher Brenna Hennan was mowing down the Maverick lineup.
 
Hennan was nearly flawless after sitting Colorado Mesa down in order in five of the seven total innings she pitched. Only three runners reached against Hennan all day – a catcher's interference and single in the third and a double in the seventh.
 
"Brenna threw a beautiful game," said Mata. "We did a solid job on the bases and with our short game. We had consistent quality at bats and really kept the pressure on them the entire game."
 
Hennan improved to 2-1 on the season with her complete game shutout, allowing the two hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
 
Tarleton had 10 total hits as a team with Mauldin leading the charge with a 3-3 game with three RBIs. Mayse (2-4) and Wells (2-3) had multi-hit games while Clifford, Menchaca and Grisham had the remaining hits.
 
Tarleton will be back in action tomorrow when they play Metro State and Adams State at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the second day of the Woodward WT Invitational.