PHOENIX, Ariz. – Tarleton took the first game of its conference series against Grand Canyon Friday night to split the primetime twin bill.
Game 1: Tarleton 5, Grand Canyon 2
Tarleton came out swinging and used an early 5-0 lead to take the first game of the series 5-2 behind a stellar pitching performance from
Tristan Bridges.
The Texans loaded the bases within the first four hitters of the game before
Kiana Gibson plated the first run of the game on a groundout to shortstop. With two outs in the innings,
Kayla Wallace dropped a check-swing single into the infield that led to two runs with the runners moving on the basepaths for a 3-0 lead after the opening frame.
Morgan Medford continued her torrid pace at the plate by driving in runs in each of her next two at bats. The Texan shortstop ripped an RBI single up the middle to plate
Bella Hernandez in the second and then drove in
Tristyn Trull in the third to extend the Texan lead to 5-0.
GCU scratched out a single run in the third and the fifth but could do no more against Bridges. The senior southpaw went all seven innings and allowed two runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out six, the most for her in a game since Feb. 25 vs. Kansas City. Bridges moves closer to tying Caryn Holbrook (384) for fourth place on Tarleton's all-time strikeout list with 378.
Medford sparked the offense out of the leadoff spot with a three-hit performance and two RBI.
Jordan Dickerson,
Austin Germain, Kayla Gibson, and
Tristyn Trull had one hit each for the Texans.
Game 2: Grand Canyon 5, Tarleton 1
A four-run second inning was too much to overcome as the Lopes evened the series by taking the nightcap 5-1.
Grand Canyon got on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the opening inning, but Tarleton answered in the top of the second when
Hayden Fox dropped an RBI single just beyond the reach of the second baseman to bring home
Kayla Wallace.
The Lopes had an answer in their half of the second with an RBI single and a three-run home run to take a 5-1 lead, which they would not relinquish the rest of the way.
Kennedy Ferguson was stellar out of the bullpen as she kept the Lopes scoreless over the final 4.2 innings of work. Ferguson walked three and struck out two while allowing five hits in her scoreless relief appearance.
Grace Garcia took the loss with 1.1 innings of work.
The Texans managed only three hits off GCU in the second game Friday. Singles from
Kelci Hill, Trull, and Fox were all the Texan offense could muster.
The teams will get back to action for the rubber game of the series tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT / 12 p.m. PST.
