SILVER CITY, N.M. – Tarleton took the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader at Western New Mexico to win the series, but faltered in the series finale.
"We became undisciplined at the plate and went away from our game plan," said head coach
Mark Cumpian. "There are no excuses for that loss."
Game 1: No. 12 Tarleton 15, Western New Mexico 6
Since 1996, Tarleton has smashed five home runs in a single game only twice.
In Saturday's series-clinching victory, Tarleton blasted five home runs in its second consecutive game as the TexAnns throttled Western New Mexico 15-6.
The game started with
Elizabeth Svienty reaching on an error and then
Georgia Capell got the offense started with one mighty swing of the bat to bring home the first two runs of the game.
The Mustangs answered with a slightly mightier blast in the bottom of the first to take a 3-2 edge, which carried into the top of the third when Tarleton started its assault on the run column.
Karli Herron and
Kadyn Kirkpatrick each drove in one before
Amanda Conner went yard for her first home run of the day to cap off a four-run inning and put Tarleton back on top 6-3.
After a scoreless fourth, Capell led off the fifth with her second home run of the game and sixth of the season. It was also Capell's 23 home run of her young career, which tied Tarleton Hall of Famer Monica Garza (23) for the sixth-most all-time.
Tarleton continued scoring in the fifth with a RBI double from Kirkpatrick, a two-run single from
Morgan Ling, and a RBI from
Elizabeth Svienty to extend the lead out to 11-3.
The Mustangs tacked on three more in their half of the fifth and Tarleton closed things out with four more of their own in the sixth on a three-run home run by
Karli Herron and Conner's second home run of the game – a solo shot.
The No. 4-7 hitters in the Tarleton lineup – Herron, Kirkpatrick, Conner, and Ling – combined for 11 of Tarleton's 15 RBI. Capell (3) and Svienty (1) had the other four. Capell paced the hitting efforts with three hits while Svienty, Herron, Kirkpatrick, Conner, and Ling added two hits each.
Lexi Grimaldo had one hit to round out Tarleton's offense.
Tristan Bridges earned her fourth win of the season with five innings of work before giving way to
Rachel Williams out of the bullpen for the final inning.
Game 2: Western New Mexico 5, No. 12 Tarleton 2
Tarleton's bats fell silent in the series finale and fell 5-2 to the Mustangs.
Elizabeth Svienty got the game started with a bang as the senior blasted off for her first home run of the season to lead off the game, but that would be all the offense until the seventh inning for Tarleton. The TexAnns added one more in the seventh on a fielder's choice error but could get no closer.
Meanwhile, the Mustangs scored two in the first on a two-run homer and added three in the third on two RBI singles and a RBI double.
Julia Wernet suffered the loss with 2.1 innings of work, allowing all five runs.
Jordan Withrow came on in relief and threw the final 3.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Tarleton will return home to Stephenville next weekend to host No. 6 Angelo State, beginning Friday night at 6:30 p.m.
