ABILENE, Texas – The first game was all Wildcats on Friday, but Tarleton quickly let Abilene Christian know in the second game they would not let mistakes compound. The Texans scored four runs to start the latter half of the doubleheader on their way to a split of the day at their conference rival.
 
The Texans (21-21, 5-6 WAC) opened the first game with a home run, then gave up 11 unanswered to fall in five innings at the Wildcats 11-1. Tarleton responded in the second game, and although Abilene Christian (10-28, 4-7 WAC) answered right back, the Texans stuck with starting pitcher Grace Garcia, and it paid off as she shut down the Wildcats over the final six innings for a 7-5 victory.
 
Tarleton snapped a tied-season-long four-game losing streak with the win in Game 2.
 
Abilene Christian 11, Tarleton 1 (5 Innings)
Kayla Wallace opened the game with a home run in the very first at-bat seen at Poly Wells Field on Friday to put Tarleton ahead 1-0. That would be it for Tarleton's offense the remainder of the contest, although it was a lead they maintained into the third inning.
 
In the bottom of the third, ACU had 12 straight batters reach base to start the inning, turning a 1-0 deficit into an 8-1 lead. The Wildcats chased starting pitcher Tristan Bridges (6-10) in the process, who finished with a line of 2.1 IP, eight earned runs, eight hits, three walks and one strikeout.
 
In the fourth inning, ACU hit a three-run home run off of Makenzie Dunbar to go up by 10. Tarleton went in order in the top of the fifth to complete the run-rule.
 
Along with Wallace, Kelci Hill, Katy Schaefer, Tristyn Trull and Brady Rowland (a double) had a hit in the first game.
 
Tarleton 7, Abilene Christian 5
Tarleton gave ACU a taste of their own medicine to start Game 2, seeing their first four batters reach safely. On the third at-bat, Trull hit a two RBI double to put Tarleton ahead 2-0. Ashlee LaRue later walked with the bases loaded for an RBI, and on the next plate appearance, Morgan Medford did the same thing to put the Texans ahead 4-0.
 
In the bottom half of the opening frame, ACU plated four runs themselves to tie it. Despite the four runs on three hits and two walks, head coach Mark Cumpian stuck with starter Garcia, and she rewarded his decision with a masterful final six innings.
 
Over the next five innings, Garcia shut out the Wildcats, allowing just two hits, a walk and a hit by pitch. Meanwhile, Tarleton plated three in the third to take a 7-4 lead, two more off of Trull's bat on another two RBI double. Hill also had an RBI single in the third.
 
In the bottom of the seventh with a three-run lead, Garcia got the first two outs, then faced her first bit of trouble since the first. ACU doubled a run home to get within two, putting runners on second and third, but Garcia induced a groundout to end the game and get the Texans back to .500 on the season.
 
Tarleton's Garcia (11-7) went all seven innings, allowing five earned runs on seven hits, four walks and a hit by pitch, striking out three.
 
Trull went 3-for-5 with four RBI. Jordan Dickerson reached in all four of her plate appearances, batting 2-for-2 with two walks, scoring two runs. Wallace also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4, scoring a run. Hill (one RBI, two runs, one walk) and Rowland (one run, two walks) had the other hits for Tarleton. LaRue was walked twice.
 
The rubber match between Tarleton and ACU will commence on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT at Poly Wells Field in Abilene.