STEPHENVILLE – TexAnn Softball swept the doubleheader against visiting University of Texas-Permian Basin to stretch its winning streak to four games on Saturday afternoon at the Tarleton Softball Complex.
Game 1: Tarleton 10, UTPB 0
The TexAnns returned home after a sweeping a pair of games at Texas A&M International and carried the momentum over by one-hitting Texas-Permian Basin in a 10-0 rout in the first game of the doubleheader.
Brenna Hennan's complete game shutout gave the senior right-hander her first win of the season and only allowed three UTPB hitters to reach base while striking out a pair of Falcons.
As the weather continues to warm up, so do the TexAnn bats.
Melody Mayse,
Savannah Stech,
Nyka Wood and
Taylor Fitzgerald all went 2-for-3 at the plate while
Erika Menchaca drove in three runs for the TexAnn offense. Seven of the nine starters also scored at least one run.
Tarleton opened the doors to the one-sided contest in the second inning with three straight hits. It was the start of six hits in the second that produced five TexAnn runs. Mayse's single to center drove in a pair and the big blow came from Menchaca's three-run double to the right center fence.
Mayse and Stech are tied with a team-high 30 hits on the season which also ranks sixth in the Lone Star Conference. Mayse also swiped her 15
th stolen base on the season, ranking fourth in the LSC.
After a shutdown inning from Hennan in the third, the TexAnn offense was back at it again when Fitzgerald launched a two-run home run over the right field fence to take a 6-0 lead.
Hennan surrendered her only hit in the second inning and retired the final 11 UTPB hitters she faced to lower her season ERA to 0.50 in 14 innings.
Wood added to the hit parade in the fourth inning with a two-run home run of her own to give the TexAnns a commanding 10-0 lead.
Game 2: Tarleton 16, UTPB 1
The TexAnns scored a season-best 16 runs and pounded out 17 hits for their second straight game-shortened win over UTPB, 16-1.
The first five Tarleton hitters reached base to start the game, including four consecutive hits to orchestrate a six-run first inning.
Erika Menchaca's RBI double down the right field line in the first inning was the start of a perfect 4-for-4 game. The sophomore from Burleson drove in two runs and scored three times to give her five RBIs in the doubleheader sweep.
Katelyn Conee's RBI single in the first gave her a team-leading 21 RBIs.
Alyssa Ringhausen started on the mound for the TexAnns and went 1.2 innings giving up one unearned run before because replaced by
Haley Freyman in the second.
Freyman picked up her team-leading 10
th win of the season after she tossed a perfect 3.1 innings while striking out three. Freyman (2.85 ERA) ranks second in the Lone Star Conference in wins behind Brandy Marlett of Angelo State with 11.
A 10-run fourth inning for the TexAnns put the lid on a convincing afternoon where Tarleton outscored UTPB 26-1 in the two games.
Taylor Fitzgerald's three-run home run – her second in the series – highlighted the TexAnn fourth.
Savannah Stech, Menchaca and
Nyka Wood all had two hits in the fourth inning.
Stech mirrored Menchaca's afternoon with a 4-for-4 game of her own while also driving in two and scoring three.
The win gives the TexAnns four straight wins and puts their record at 13-11 on the season.
The TexAnns put pressure on UTPB all game with their bats, but also on the bases by stealing four bags in the win. After the 27 hits in two games, the TexAnns are hitting .311 as a team on the season.
Tarleton is now 9-0 all-time against UTPB, outscoring the Falcons 38-2 in the last four meetings.
The TexAnns will jump back into Lone Star Conference play when they take on Midwestern State for a four-game series on Friday, March 20 starting at 5 p.m. at the Tarleton Softball Complex.
