ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Errors and walks proved too costly to overcome for Tarleton as they dropped their second game of the season and the weekend, this time to North Dakota State Saturday at the Lobo Classic.
 
While the struggles on defense proved costly, offensive woes were also too frequent as six strikeouts at the plate came at inopportune times.
 
Tarleton jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead when Katy Schaefer drove in Morgan Medford and Amanda DeSario with a single up the middle. The Texans would load the bases in the opening inning with only one out before back-to-back strikeouts kept Tarleton from pushing any more across.
 
The Texans extended the lead to 3-0 when Brittany Coe drove in Georgia Capell from second with a single into right, but the ensuing half-inning started the Bison rally.
 
North Dakota State loaded the bases with on one out after a hit by pitch, walk, and a fielding error. Two batters later, the Bison struck for two runs on an RBI single up the middle but Hannah Mayo danced out of any more danger in the inning with a 3-2 lead.
 
After Tarleton retook the lead on a single from Brady Rowland with an error that led Amanda DeSario score, a two-out throwing error in the bottom of the inning opened the door for North Dakota State to tie things up at 4-4.
 
Tarleton was unable to respond offensively in the fifth and North Dakota State took its first lead of the game in the bottom half when three walks in the inning loaded the bases with two outs and the Bison cashed in a two-run single for a 6-4 edge. The Texans went down in order in the sixth before the Bison loaded the bases once again in the sixth and plated two on a single and an error for an 8-4 advantage after six.
 
Mayo earned the start and went four innings, allowing four runs – only one earned – and striking out four. She was relieved by Chyanne Ellett, Julia Wernet, and Kennedy Ferguson. Ferguson faced two batters and got the final out of the sixth.
 
Offensively, Georgia Capell and Morgan Medford led the way with two hits each while Brady Rowland, Schaefer, Tristyn Trull and Coe had one hit each in the eight-hit effort for Tarleton.
 
Tarleton will play two tomorrow to close out the Lobo Classic. The Texans will rematch North Dakota State at 11 a.m. CT and then play host New Mexico immediately following.