CONROE – No. 14 Tarleton struggled to find offense but managed a split on opening day at The Scrapyards – falling to St. Mary's and outlasting Colorado Mines in a 3-1 nightcap.
 
"We weren't very good today – plain and simple," said head coach Mark Cumpian. "We were outplayed, outcoached, out-everything. We're going to have to come back tomorrow with a completely different mindset than we had today and get back to doing the things we know how to do to be successful."
   
Tarleton had a slow start offensively to begin the season as the No. 14 TexAnns suffered a 3-1 loss to Heartland Conference rival St. Mary's in their first game at the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational at the Scrapyards Friday.
 
Leadoff baserunners were the difference in the game as Tarleton surrendered a free pass to the leadoff hitter in the first and the seventh, in addition to a leadoff single in the fifth, that all led to runs for the Rattlers.
 
Tristan Bridges earned the start in the circle and went 4.1 innings in her collegiate debut. The freshman from Denton struck out four and allowed two runs – only one earned. She was replaced by Jordan Withrow, who tossed the final 2.2 innings, allowing one run on one hit with five punch outs.
 
The Tarleton offense mustered only one hit on the afternoon – a third-inning single up the middle from Tanna Huie. The lone run came in the second when Amanda Conner worked a walk and pinch-runner Gracie King came in to score on a sacrifice fly from Lexi Grimaldo.
   
Tarleton capitalized on a rough first inning from Colorado Mines to win its first game of the season behind the pitching of Julia Wernet and Tristan Bridges Friday night at the Scrapyards.
 
After two quick outs to begin the ballgame, Tarleton coaxed four straight walks – including a RBI free pass from Destiny Crumpley – to take a 1-0 lead before Elizabeth Svienty made the Orediggers pay with a two-run single into a center field for a 3-0 edge.
 
That's all the offense Tarleton could find in game two. The TexAnns loaded the bases with no one out in the third, but couldn't push any more runs across.
 
Tarleton got one hit each from Karli Herron, Amanda Conner, Lexi Grimaldo, and Svienty in the four-hit effort.
 
Wernet earned the win in the circle after the sophomore twirled 4.1 innings of work, over which she struck out three and allowed one run on six hits. Tristan Bridges came on in the fifth and escaped a bases loaded jam. She went on to finish the game and earn her first career save.
 
Tarleton will return to action tomorrow with games against Southeastern Oklahoma (1 p.m.) and Pittsburg State (3:30 p.m.) at the Scrapyards.