DENTON, Texas (April 5, 2024) - The Texas Woman's softball team drops the doubleheader of the Lone Star Conference series against St. Mary's on Friday afternoon. 

TWU (16,24 - 14,15) faced the STMU (24-17, 19-10) in a conference doubleheader on Friday afternoon in Dianne Baker Field. The Rattler took the victory in both games with 8-6 and 4-1 results. 

The Pioneers started game one hitting it outside the park time and time again. Four home runs total in the first, second, third and fourth inning gave the Pioneers the lead during the majority of the game. 

Vivica Hernandez opened things up for TWU in the batting circle with a single up the middle. The Pioneers' second base, Callie Bailey followed with another single to center field while Hernandez advanced to second. 

Alyssa LeBlanc homered to right field and collected her second triple RBI of the season. The Pioneers finished the first inning with three runs, four hits and no errors. 

In the bottom of the second inning, Lauryn Davies hit it out to the left of Dianne Baker field and added the fourth run for TWU. 

LeBlanc switched directions of her batting to the left field with a powerful swing that sent the ball to outside the park, allowing her to make her way to home base adding another run for the Pioneers in the bottom of the third inning. TWU led 5-0. 

The Rattlers responded in the top of the fourth adding four runs in one inning with five hits, a double and two singles that cut the Pioneers lead to one run. 

The fourth home run of the game for the Pioneers came from Makana Morton, who recorded her second home run of the season and collected the fifth and final run for TWU in game one of the doubleheader. The Pioneers led 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth inning. 

STMU added a run in the top of the fifth, and their final three runs in the top of the seventh with a triple to left center with the bases loaded that ultimately gave them the victory. 

LeBlanc, who started pitching for the Pioneers, led the team in hits with two home runs of her two at bat opportunities. The senior from Katy, Texas pitched the first five innings of the game, 112 pitches total. 

Allison Gonzalez (4-6) came in to pitch for the Pioneers for the last two innings and threw a total of 38 pitches facing nine at bats and striking out two of them. 

The Rattlers continued their momentum from the end of the first game to the start of the second. 

Game two started with a couple of scoreless innings before STMU took the 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning with a single to left field that allowed two runs in, one of them unearned. The Rattlers increased their lead in the top of the fourth inning by adding one more run and took the temporary 3-0 lead. 

The Pioneers gained some momentum in the bottom of the sixth inning when Ciana Rodriguez, LeBlanc were in first and second base and Tylar Lane hit a single through the left side of the girls and allowed Rodriguez to score while LeBlanc advanced to second. Unfortunately that wasn't enough and LeBlanc and Lane were left on base. 

STMU sealed the deal in the top of the seventh by adding their last run of the game to end it 4-1. 

Jaycie Hall (4-6) took care of the Pioneers mound and pitched all seven innings. 

The Pioneers will look to improve in their offensive work while playing the lone game of the conference series against STMU tomorrow, Saturday, April 5 at 1 p.m. at Dianne Baker Field.

-PIONEERS-