NACOGDOCHES, Texas – A day where runs were sparse saw the Texans end up on the wrong side of things dropping both games of the doubleheader by a combined two runs over 18 innings of play.
 
Game 1 of the day saw just three combined runs across 11 innings that took two and a half hours, one of the Texan's longest games of the season. 
 
Game 2 that shortly followed saw a little more offensive production as a combined five runs were scored over the regulation seven innings.
 
Tarleton State 1 Stephen F. Austin 2
 
Game 1 of the doubleheader with the Ladyjacks was complete opposite from the first game of the series that took place just 18 hours prior on Friday Night.
 
SFA jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second and didn't cross the plate again until the bottom of the 11th when they walked it off 2-1. The Ladyjacks first run came as Hope Lusk walked with the bases loaded and Lexi Benson came into score (unearned) making it 1-0 SFA.
 
The Texans were the first to make a pitching change as Kendall Daniel took over for Kynlee Marquez in the circle for Tarleton State to open the bottom of the sixth inning. Marquez went 5.0 IP giving up just one run (unearned) on two hits as she struck out four and walked three.
 
In the top of the seventh the Texans finally were able to tie things up 1-1 off the bat of Jordan Dickerson. Dickerson singled to the shortstop as Bella Hernandez came into score (unearned) the first run of the day for Tarleton State. Hernandez came in to run for Katy Schaefer who reached base on an error by the shortstop.
 
The 11th inning got interesting as Kayla Wallace hit a lead-off double to center field forcing SFA to make their first pitching change of the game as Aydenne Brown went 10.0 innings giving up one run (unearned) on nine hits. She struck out six, walked two and had a wild pitch to close out her day in the circle.
 
Kalyn Hill hit a sac bunt advancing Wallace to third putting the Texans in a great spot to take the lead as there was just one out in the inning. Hayden Fox reached base on a fielder's choice and advanced to third on the throw as Wallace got caught in a throwdown that ended up with her being out at home following a questionable call at the plate.
 
With Fox in scoring position and the Texans down to their final out with a chance to break the 1-1 tie that had held since the top of the seventh, Ashlee LaRue grounded out to second base ending the Texans threat.
 
In the bottom of the 11th Benson hit a lead-off single putting the winning run on for the Ladyjacks. Kylie Bishop was then hit by a pitch moving the winning run into scoring position. Alex Dubose then came in to pinch run for Bishop. Ellie Vance then came to the plate looking to end it right then and there. She did just that singling up the middle allowing Benson to score as SFA walked it off 2-1 evening the series at 1-1.
 
For the Texans, Daniel collected the loss moving to 3-6 on the season as she gave up one run on six hits, struck out three and walked one.
 
For the Ladyjacks, Kayla Palomino went the final 1.0 IP and earned her first win of the season moving to 1-1. She gave up no runs on no hits, struck out non and walked non.
 
Tarleton State 2 Stephen F. Austin 3
 
The rubber match of the series followed shortly after the wild finish to Game 1 of the day.
 
SFA once again got on the board first and did it in the second inning for the second game in a row. Emily Land hit a sac fly to center field allowing Benson to score putting the home team up 1-0 early.
 
The lead didn't hold long as in the following half inning the Texans put up a two-spot of their own taking their first lead of the day between the two games. Tristyn Trull singled down the left field line scoring Dickerson and Austin Germain taking the lead 2-1. Dickerson reached base on a single to left field before advancing to second on a wild pitch and then moved to third as Germain singled through the left side and advanced to second on the throw.
 
In the Ladyjacks half of the fourth, Mikaelah Burkland tied things at 2-2 as she singled to right field allowing Vance to score from second (unearned).
 
Madison Nguyen walked things off for the Ladyjacks in the bottom of the seventh as she singled up the middle as Mallory Webb scored SFA's third and winning run as the home team won 3-2.
 
For the Texans, Hannah Blincoe (4-5) went all the way going 6.1 IP giving up three runs (two earned) on seven hits. She struck out seven, walked one and threw one wild pitch. The seven strikeouts match her career high that she set back on Feb. 24 as she struck out seven Lions in the Texans 2-0 (8) win over Texas A&M-Commerce. The one walk allowed also ties her season low for walks allowed which she has done eight other times this season with the most recent before the series with the Ladyjacks coming in the Texans 8-5 win over Abliene Christian on March 26.
 
For the Ladyjacks, Brooke Gainous (3-9) went the distance going 7.0 innings and collected the win as she gave up two runs on seven hits. She also struck out five and walked one and had one wild pitch.
 
Tarleton State will be back in action next Friday-Saturday at the Tarleton State Softball Complex on the campus of Tarleton State University as the Texans will host the WAC leader Grand Canyon for a three-game series.
 
Things will get underway on Friday with a doubleheader scheduled for 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and will wrap up on Saturday with the series finale set for an 11 a.m. first pitch.
 
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