STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Two one-run games doomed the Texans Saturday as Tarleton State (15-13, 2-4 WAC) fell to the Mavericks of UT Arlington (15-10, 4-2 WAC) at the Tarleton State Softball Complex.
 
Following Hannah Blincoe's second no-hitter on Friday as the Texans won 8-0 (5), the Purple and White put up a combined seven runs on Saturday, but it was not enough to overcome Mavericks offense as the road team took both games 6-5 and 3-2 as Tarleton State has now dropped three conference tilts by three total runs.
 
Tarleton State 5 UT Arlington 6
 
Day 2 of the series with UT Arlington could not have started any better as the Texans went up 5-0 in the first three innings before the Mavericks put up two big innings late to even the series 1-1.
 
Kalyn Hill got the scoring started in the first inning as she singled through the right-side scoring Austin Germain who reached on a first pitch hit-by-pitch to lead off the bottom of the first to make it 1-0. Kiana Gibson then stepped up to the plate doubling to right center clearing the bases driving in Hayden Fox and Hill to extend the lead to 3-0 early on.
 
After batting around in the first, Germain stepped back in the box after seeing just one pitch in the first, the hit-by-pitch. Her second at-bat didn't last long either as she took the Mavericks deep to center for a solo shot to push the lead to 4-0 in the second.
 
In the third inning, Germain was once again on the base paths, this time thanks to a double to right center. Fox then doubled to right center as well allowing Germain to score from second to make it 5-0 in the third.
 
The fourth inning was just one of two innings in the game that neither team put runs on the board.
 
UT Arlington finally broke through in Stephenville after being held off the board for nine straight innings going back to the no-hitter Friday. Marley Neises got things going for the road team as she hit a solo shot just over the right center wall thanks to strong winds blowing from the west to make it 5-1. Kailee Bautista then hit a homer right on the heels of Neises' long ball as it hit off the top of the wall in right center making it 5-2 in the fifth.
 
With bases loaded in the sixth for the Mavericks, Bautista once again made an impact drawing a bases loaded walk to bring Nicole Hill in to make it 5-3. Kaitlyn Sailor then doubled down the left field line advancing Bautista to third and scoring Elizabeth Baylor and Neises to tie things up 5-5. Mia McNulty then hit a sac fly to left allowing Bautista to score the ultimate winning run making it 6-5 in the sixth.
The Texans had plenty of fight left in them as the Texans lead-off hitter in the seventh in Hill hit a single up the middle to put the walk-off run at the plate. Riley McDaniel then came in to run for Hill and then stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. Gibson then popped out followed by a Jaelynn Duke fly out put Tarleton State down to their final out. McDaniel then moved just 60 ft. away as she advanced to third on a passed ball by the Mavericks catcher. Bella Hernandez then flew out to left ending the Texans late rally as they fell 6-5 and road squad evened the series up 1-1.
 
For the Texans, Shelby Schultz (L, 6-3) earned her 10th start of the season as she went 5.1 IP. In her time in the circle, she gave up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits while she struck out eight and walked just two. Her eight strikeouts tie her career high that she set vs. Akron earlier this season at home on Feb. 16. She now has struck out 75, 25 more than the next closest Texan rock slinger in Hannah Blincoe at 50. Kynlee Marquez tossed the final 1.2 IP allowing just two hits while she struck out a pair and walked one.
 
For the Mavericks, Jaycee Knighton earned the start but left with a no decision after going just a single inning. During her single inning in the circle, Knighton gave up three runs (all earned) on three hits while walking and striking out two. Abi Gutierrez threw the final six innings for the Arlington squad as she gave up two runs (both earned) on five hits, walking two and sitting down 10. Gutierrez also had two wild pitches.
 
Tarleton State 2 UT Arlington 3
 
The rubber match of the series was a big one for both teams as the Texans looked to even up their conference record 3-3 while the Mavericks looked to go up 4-2 in conference play through just two weeks of conference action.
 
After putting up three runs in the first inning of the first two games of the series, the Texans along with the Mavericks went scoreless through the first three innings of Game 3 of the series.
 
UTA got things going in the top of the fourth as Madi McDonnell singled up the middle advancing McNulty to third and scoring Sailor to take a 1-0 lead. A double steal by McDonnell and McNulty resulted in McNulty scoring the second run for the Mavericks making it a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
 
In the top of the fifth, UT Arlington added what ended up being the winning run as Sailor doubled to right center scoring Bautista as the Mavericks led 3-0.
 
The bottom of the sixth saw Tarleton State respond with a two-spot to make it a one-run ball game. Braylin Pannill hit her second long ball of the season as she hit a solo shot to center to cut it to a 3-1 deficit. With Gibson (FC) and McDaniel (PR for Hill) on, Duke singled to right scoring McDaniel to put the Texans within one run 3-2.
 
For the Texans, Blincoe (L, 4-6) earned her second start of the weekend and pitch the majority of the contest as she went five innings allowing two runs (both earned) on five hits while striking out four and walking just one. Sadie Beck and Gracie Riney each tossed an inning for the Purple and White. Beck gave up one run (earned) on three hits while Riney allowed just a single hit.
 
For the Mavericks, Kynlee Bowlin (W, 1-1) started in the circle and went five innings. She allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits while walking three and striking out a pair. Jaycee Knighton (S, 1) closed things out for the road team earning her first save of the season pitching two innings and allowing just two hits. She also sat one down.
 
Tarleton State is set to return to action on Tuesday as they will hit the road for a four-game road trip that will include stops in Prairie View and Phoenix, Arizona. Tuesday will see the Texans and Panthers go head-to-head in a mid-day affair as the two teams will meet for a 1 p.m. matchup in what is a home and home this season with Prairie View A&M making the return trip in late mid-April. The game will be streamed live on YouTube while live stats will be available as well.
 
Following the midweek down south, the Purple and White will catch a flight out west for a three-game clash with the Lopes of Grand Canyon Friday-Saturday. The two squads will meet for a doubleheader on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT and 9 p.m. CT The rubber match is set for a 3 p.m. CT first pitch. The three-game WAC series will air live on ESPN+ along with live stats through stat broadcast. Tickets are available and can be found here.
 
For the latest news on the Texans, follow Tarleton Softball on Facebook, Instagram and X @tarletonsoftball.