STEPHENVILLE, Texas – It was a marathon doubleheader at the Tarleton Softball Complex on Saturday, capped off by a celebration of eight graduating players who have made their mark in Stephenville.
 
Tarleton (30-26, 13-11 WAC) and Stephen F. Austin (27-22, 15-9 WAC) split the pair, with the Texans winning the first 5-2 and SFA taking the second 9-7.
 
Following all Saturday WAC games, the conference announced the seeds for the WAC Tournament, with Tarleton landing at No. 5. They'll play the No. 8 seed California Baptist Lancers on Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT in the single-elimination opening round.
 
After the games in Stephenville, Tarleton celebrated Grace Garcia, Reagan Chism, Brittany Coe, Kennedy Ferguson, Amanda DeSario, Alexis Hoang, MacKenzie Peterson, and Tristan Bridges for their immeasurable contributions to the Texan program.
 
Tarleton 5, Stephen F. Austin 2
 
Tarleton struck first in the opener on Saturday, building a 5-0 lead that was never threatened in their win. Grace Garcia (13-8) cruised through seven innings of work, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and three walks, with five strikeouts.
 
After not plating one through the first six innings in the series opener Friday, Tarleton got right to work in this one, singling in the first at-bat and scoring a few batters later. Tristyn Trull had an RBI single to plate Kelci Hill and put Tarleton up 1-0 after the first.
 
In the third, Tarleton used back-to-back singles and then back-to-back walks to jump ahead 2-0, with DeSario earning the RBI by plating Morgan Medford.
 
Trull continued her strong game at the plate in the fourth, following a Katy Schaefer double with a two RBI single that scored Schaefer and Bella Hernandez. In the fifth, Tarleton went up 5-0 on another RBI walk, this time by Schaefer to score DeSario.
 
SFA got an RBI single in the sixth and a solo shot in the seventh to make it 5-2, but the Texan lead was never in jeopardy.
 
The Texans scattered nine hits between seven players, led by Hill's (2-for-3, one walk, one run) and Trull's (2-for-4, three RBI) multi-hit performances. Kayla Wallace, Schaefer, Medford, MacKenzie Peterson and DeSario also had hits in the game.
 
Stephen F. Austin 9, Tarleton 7
 
SFA got out to the 5-0 start this time, but Tarleton answered with seven straight to take the lead. The Ladyjacks responded with four in the sixth inning to jump back ahead for good.
 
SFA hit a solo shot to take a first inning 1-0 lead, then in the second, hit a two RBI double to chase Tarleton starting pitcher Bridges. They added one more in the second to lead 4-0.
 
Down 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the Texans exploded with five runs to tie the game. Hill scored Tarleton's first run with an RBI double, then Wallace hit a bases clearing three RBI double to make it 5-4. Schaefer followed with an RBI single to tie the game.
 
Kennedy Ferguson shut down the Lady Jacks in the top of the fifth to keep the momentum for the home team. The Texan offense kept rolling in the bottom half, with Peterson opening with a double, scoring on a DeSario triple. She later scored herself to put Tarleton ahead 7-5 entering the sixth.
 
SFA kept their focus and plated four in the sixth to take the lead for good. They opened the inning with a triple, followed shortly with an RBI single, then hit a two-run home run to make it 8-7 'Jacks. They added a ninth run in the inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Tarleton got the go-ahead run to bat but a fly out to left field ended the game.
 
Ferguson (6-5) was tagged with the loss in relief, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and four walks, with three strikeouts, in 4.0 IP.

Tarleton had 11 hits, with Trull (2-for-4), Peterson (2-for-4) and DeSario (2-for-3) posting multi-hit outings. Hill, Wallace, Schaefer, Medford and Austin Germain also had a hit in the game.
 
Next up is the WAC Tournament, which Tarleton will open against CBU. The two squared off in Riverside, California, on March 31-April 1, with CBU taking two-of-three, with two of the game decided by two runs or fewer.
 
The first round of the WAC Tournament, featuring seeds 5-8, is single elimination. No. 6 Sam Houston and No. 7 UT Arlington will face off in the other opening round matchup. If Tarleton wins, they'll begin double-elimination play the rest of the tournament, beginning Wednesday at 9 p.m. CT against No. 4 Seattle U.