STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Softball welcomed the second-ranked team in the nation to Stephenville on Tuesday night, battling in front of a sold-out crowd and a record-setting attendance at the Tarleton State Softball Complex as the Texans fell 12-0 to No. 2 Texas Tech. 

In the program's marquee home matchup of the season, Tarleton State (21-14) matched up with one of the nation's premier arms in NiJaree Canady and showed resilience throughout the night, recording two hits to break up both the no-hit bid and the perfect game in front of a packed house. 

Texas Tech (31-2) struck first in the opening inning after a Tarleton State error put a runner aboard before a two-run home run down the left field line gave the Red Raiders a 2-0 lead. 

The Red Raiders added another run in the second inning on an RBI single to left center to move in front 3-0. 

Texas Tech extended its lead in the third when a two-run home run to center pushed the advantage to 5-0. 

The Texans settled in defensively over the next stretch, holding the Red Raiders scoreless in the fourth and keeping the deficit at five. 

Texas Tech added two more runs in the fifth on an RBI single followed by an RBI double to make it 7-0. 

The Purple and White threatened in the bottom of the fifth, as Braylin Pannill worked a walk to end Canady's perfect game bid before Isabella Bojkovic followed with a single to left center to break up the no-hit bid, but the Texans were unable to capitalize. 

Hayden Fox added Tarleton State's second hit of the night with a single to right in the sixth inning before Texas Tech added five runs in the seventh to pull away and account for the 12-0 final. 

Fox and Bojkovic each recorded a hit for the Texans, with Bojkovic's fifth-inning single marking a notable breakthrough against one of the nation's top pitchers after Pannill's walk ended the perfect game bid. Texas Tech went to Sam Lincoln for the final two innings. 

Shelby Schultz got the start in the circle for Tarleton State and went 6.0 innings against one of the top lineups in the country, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on 13 hits while striking out three. Abigail Dowell entered in relief in the seventh and allowed two runs on three hits over the final inning. 

The Texans will open conference play on the road this weekend, taking on UT Arlington at Allan Saxe Field. First pitch for Friday's series opener is set for 5 p.m.