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Box Score 2 STEPHENVILLE – In Friday's Lone Star Conference opening doubleheader, Tarleton State walked off a victory in a 10-inning marathon in game one before dropping the nightcap in a run-shortened five-inning game en route to a split.
Game 1: Tarleton 7, #25 Angelo State 6 (10)
After 3:30 hours and 10 innings of softball,
Erika Menchaca laced a walk-off RBI single to drive home
Ashley Findorak and give the Tarleton TexAnns a victory in Friday night's LSC opening marathon at Tarleton Softball Complex.
The TexAnns struck first in the bottom of the opening inning on back-to-back RBI singles from
Emily Jones and
Taylor Wells to put the TexAnns up a pair.
After two runs scored for the Rambelles on an RBI single and a double steal to even the game at 2-2, Tarleton posted a three-spot in the bottom of the second – starting a solo home run to deep right field by
Melody Mayse to break the tie.
With the TexAnns leading 3-2 and
Bailee Mauldin on first,
Taylor Wells dropped a triple down the right field line to score Mauldin and make it 4-2 Tarleton. Wells came in to score on an RBI single from
Amber Clifford for the 5-2 lead.
Angelo State struck for one in the ensuing half-inning and the 5-3 score held true until the bottom of the fourth when Menchaca drove in her first run of the game on a single through the right side.
The teams put up a scoreless fifth and Angelo State ultimately scored one in the sixth and two in the seventh to tie the game and force extra innings. Tarleton got a one-out single in the seventh but a double play ended the threat.
Tarleton got two runners on in the eighth inning and loaded the bases in the ninth but could not get any runs across but Tarleton starter,
Randi Fentress kept the Rambelles at bay by holding them scoreless after the seventh inning.
In the 10
th – with
Ashley Findorak placed at second base – after a
Taylor Wells sacrifice bunt and a Clifford walk, Menchaca ended the game with her game-winning base hit into right field to bring home Findorak.
Fentress earned the hard-fought victory by pitching all 10 innings. The LSC leader in innings pitched has now pitched 84.1 innings on the season and threw 217 pitches Friday night. Her final line included 10 innings pitched allowing six runs on nine hits and six walks with seven strikeouts.
Tarleton recorded a season-high 17 hits on the night with Mayse going 4-5, Wells and Menchaca going 3-5 and Clifford going 2-2 for multi-hit games while Mauldin, Jones, Fentress,
Mikayla Stogsdill and
Lauren Powers had one hit each.
Game 2: #25 Angelo State 17, Tarleton 4 (5)
In the nightcap, Angelo State scored in all five innings highlighted by a seven-run fifth inning as the TexAnns fell 17-4 to even the series at 1-1.
After the Rambelles struck first on a lead-off homer to left center field to begin the game, Tarleton State struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first when Mayse scored on a bases-loaded passed ball and
Kendra Mendoza drove home
Katelyn Conlee with an RBI single for a 2-1 lead.
Angelo took the lead for good in the top of the second when the Rambelles put up a four-spot and, after the TexAnns were set down scoreless in the bottom of the second, Angelo added two more in the top of the third on an RBI single and an RBI double.
Tarleton started a rally in the bottom of the third when
Taylor Wells led off the inning with a home run and Menchaca, Mendoza and Latta reeled off three straight singles to bring the score to 7-4 after three.
Angelo State scored three in the fourth and seven in the top of the fifth en route to ending the game after five.
Brenna Hennan was touched up for 17 runs – 14 earned on 14 hits and four walks with one strikeout in 4.1 innings. Conlee pitched the final 0.2 innings.
Tarleton had six total hits on the day with all the hits coming from different TexAnns. Mayse, Conlee, Wells, Menchaca, Mendoza and Latta had the hits for Tarleton.
The TexAnns and Angelo State will finish the three-game set Saturday at 1 p.m.
