Box Score KINGSVILLE – Tarleton rallied from a sixth-inning 5-4 deficit and shut down the Javelinas in the final two innings to win its first Lone Star Conference series of the season with a xx-xx win over Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday afternoon.
 
Tarleton got on the board first as freshman, Kendra Mendoza continued her torrid series with an RBI single in the top of the first to plate Mikayla Stogsdill.
 
After a strikeout, Tarleton cashed in with a pair of two-out runs when Amber Clifford extended the inning by reaching on an error that allowed Bailee Mauldin to score and Ashley Findorak made Kingsville pay for the miscue with an RBI single to right to bring home Mendoza for a 3-0 Tarleton lead.
 
The teams traded zeroes in the second before Tarleton tacked on one more in the third with back-to-back doubles by Taylor Wells and Clifford. Clifford's two-bagger produced the RBI to plate Wells with one away.
 
Kingsville finally got to Tarleton starter, Randi Fentress, in the fourth with a 2-RBI single and tacked on three more in the fifth when an RBI double, RBI single and a run-scoring Tarleton error allowed the Javelinas to take a 5-4 lead after five.
 
The sixth-inning rally started with a base hit to right from Melody Mayse and escalated to a bases-loaded, no-out situation after a walk to Stogsdill and a bunt single by Mauldin.
 
Mendoza worked an RBI walk to tie the game at five before Wells gave Tarleton the lead with a fielder's choice that plated Stogsdill. Findorak tacked on another with an RBI single to bring home Wells for a 7-5 Tarleton lead.
 
Fentress answered by in keeping the Javelinas in check with a pair of strikeouts and a flyout to send the TexAnns into the final frame with a two-run lead.
 
Tarleton wasted no time in adding insurance runs when Fentress and Mayse opened the inning with back-to-back doubles to set up a second and third situation with no outs before Stogsdill plated them both with a 2-RBI single.
 
Mauldin added one more when she brought home Stogsdill with a sacrifice fly to center for a 10-5 Tarleton lead. Fentress ended the game in the ensuing half inning with a strikeout and a pair of groundouts to secure the win.
 
Fentress went the distance with seven innings allowing five runs – only two earned – on nine hits and seven strikeouts. The senior hurler needed just a shade over 100 pitches, throwing 104 in the complete game win.
 
Wells and Mayse each had three hits on the day while Mauldin (2-4), Clifford (2-5) and Findorak (2-4) also recorded a multi-hit day. Stogsdille, Mendoza and Fentress had the rest of Tarleton's 15 hits.
 
For the series, Tarleton hit .357 as a team with Findorak leading the charge at .625 with three runs scored and two RBIs in the three-game set. Mendoza and Freitas each hit .500 for the weekend while Clifford checked in at .417.
 
Eight of the 10 TexAnns with at least three plate appearances hit over .300 for the weekend.
 
The TexAnns will head to Wichita Falls next weekend for the first-ever Lone Star Conference Softball Showcase, where they will play six games in four days against LSC foes beginning with Midwestern State Thursday at 7 p.m.