CANYON, Texas – The #3 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M registered just seven hits and scored one run as they struggled offensively and fell to the eighth seeded TexAnns of Tarleton State in front of almost 500 fans at Schaeffer Park in Canyon, Texas during the opening day of the 2015 NCAA Division II South Central I Regional Tournament. The Lady Buffs fall to 44-10 on the season while the TexAnns improve to 31-20.
"We talked all week about coming in with the right mindset and we just couldn't get the big hit when we needed it tonight. The middle of our lineup has come up big so many times this season with runners in scoring position and we just couldn't do that tonight" said WT head coach
Kevin Blaskowski "Rita threw a great game in the circle, you expect to score more than one run with an offense that averages over nine a game. Now we've got our backs against the wall and we'll have to show a lot of fight tomorrow to keep our season alive."
The two teams traded zeroes in the first inning before the TexAnns threatened in the top of the second inning as they used a pair of hits and a walk to load the bases with two outs before TSU's Melody Mayse punched an 0-2 offering thru the left side to score the first run of the game followed by a full count RBI walk to Savannah Stech before
Rita Hokianga responded with her second strikeout of the game to end the inning with the TexAnns leading 2-0.
The Lady Buffs cut into the lead in the home half of the second inning as
Allie Smith reached via a fielder's choice with two outs followed by an
Allie Cranfill RBI double to the deepest part of the park in right center field,
Ashley Hardin and
Brittany Gehle walked to load the bases as the Lady Buffs headed back to the top of their order before freshman Haley Freyman forced a groundout to short to end the inning with the TexAnns holding the 2-1 lead.
Gehle started off the home half of the fifth inning with a five-pitch walk to knock Freyman from the game followed by a perfectly placed bunt single to welcome Shelby Hedrick to the game by
Stacey Ramirez as Gehle made the heads up baserunning play as she advanced to third. Ramirez stole second on a strikeout,
Renee Erwin grounded out to the circle for the second out of the frame followed by a huge strikeout in the heart of the WT order to strand runners at second and third as TSU continued to lead 2-1.
Hokianga continued to keep the Lady Buffs within striking distance as the senior left hander registered her fifth strikeout of the game followed by a fielder's choice groundout to Ramirez at shortstop, Tarleton State worked a full count walk with two outs to put runners on first and second followed by another walk on a borderline pitch on the inside corner to load the bases before a popup to
Kaisha Dacosin in foul territory around third base to end the inning at 2-1.
Gehle singled to center field on a 2-1 offering to leadoff the home half of the seventh followed by another beautiful bunt by Ramirez to put runners on first and second with no outs,
Tyler Wilkinson did her job at the plate with a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the runners up 60 feet before TSU forced a lineout to shortstop for the second out before the TexAnns registered another strikeout to end the game, 2-1.
Hokianga picked up the loss (19-6) in the circle for the Lady Buffs as the Hawke's Bay, New Zealand native gave up two runs (both earned) on five hits with five walks and six strikeouts in the complete game effort. TSU's Haley Freyman (21-12) gave up one run (earned) on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts in her 4.0 innings of work while Shelby Hedrick registered her second save of the year as she gave up no runs on four hits with no walks and four strikeouts in the final three innings.
The Lady Buffs now fall to the loser's side of the bracket as they will face off with the rival Belles of Angelo State in an elimination game set for 4:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon in Canyon. ASU fell earlier in the day to fourth seeded Cameron, 5-4. Tarleton State and the Aggies will start off Saturday's action with a winner's bracket game at 1:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to Sunday while the loser of tomorrow's opener will face-off with the WT/ASU winner tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. at Schaeffer Park.
