LUBBOCK, Texas – Tarleton State Softball battled nationally ranked No. 4 Texas Tech on the road Tuesday night, falling 12-2 in five innings at Tracy Sellers Field. The Texans moved to 34-19 overall on the season. 

Tarleton State broke through against one of the nation's top teams with two runs in the third inning and finished with two hits against a Texas Tech squad that entered the night with 47 wins. 

Trailing 4-0, the Texans responded in the top of the third to cut into the deficit. Braylin Pannill drew a walk to begin the inning and Mikaila Gilliland entered as a pinch runner. Mariah Debose followed with a walk, and Mikayla Wilson reached on an infield single to load the bases. 

Macie Vickers then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home Gilliland for Tarleton State's first run of the game. Immediately after, Jaelynn Duke reached on an error that allowed Debose to score, trimming the lead to 4-2. 

Texas Tech answered in the home half of the inning, using a five-run frame to extend its advantage. 

The Red Raiders added three more runs in the fourth inning to build a 12-2 lead and secure the run-rule victory. 

Abigail Dowell made the start for the Texans, tossing 1.1 innings. Gracie Riney, Taylor McKean and Alex Aguilar each appeared in relief, combining to finish the contest in the circle. 

Wilson and Casey Schultz each recorded hits for Tarleton State, while Vickers collected an RBI on the sacrifice fly. The Texans also showed patience at the plate, drawing three walks against one of the top pitching staffs in the country. 

Tarleton State will travel to Riverside, California, for its final three-game conference series against WAC's first ranked California Baptist at John C. Funk Stadium. The Texans will take on CBU in a doubleheader on Friday (6:30 p.m. CT and 9 p.m. CT) before closing out the regular season with a single game on Saturday (4 p.m. CT).