DENTON, Texas (March 24, 2018) - Texas Woman's University softball took down fifth-ranked Angelo State, 6-5, in game one of a doubleheader before falling, 4-1, in the final game of the series Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
 
Texas Woman's 6, Angelo State 5
 
The second contest of the series began similar to yesterday's ASU win as the Belles smoked a grand slam for an early 4-0 advantage. However, the Pioneers did not back down and matched Angelo State's four runs starting with a walk to Lindy Kennedy. A sacrifice bunt by Tylia Sylestine pushed Kennedy to second, and a double down the left field line by Hazel Puempel scored Kennedy. Abby Walker brought Puempel in with a shot down the right field line, and Marisa Arriaga evened the score with a double to left center.
 
The Belles regained the lead in the next inning with the help of a TWU error and a sacrifice bunt for a 5-4 edge. In the bottom of the fourth, a trio of Pioneer bunts placed Cheyenne Mahy on third, and Tara Solomon singled up the middle for a 5-5 tie.
 
Each team left a runner on second as the score remained tied through seven innings. A Belle was left stranded in the top of the eighth as the Pioneers approached the plate. Jordan Kisselburg took a walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Walker before making it to third on a fly out. With a 1-0 count, Arriaga singled to shallow center field to score Kisselburg for the walk-off run.
 
Walker (11-7) earned the win with four earned runs on six hits, seven strikeouts and three walks.
 
Angelo State 4, Texas Woman's 1
 
A walk to ASU with the bases loaded in the top of the first produced the first run of game two. In the second, the lead-off Belle was hit by a pitch and made it to third by way of a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch before an groundout brought the runner home for a 2-1 ASU edge.
 
Kisselburg took a walk in inning two and then scampered to second on a wild pitch. Tara Solomon then singled up the middle to push Kisselburg to third. Solomon was called out while attempting to steal, but Kisselburg made it home safely to cut the deficit to 2-1.
 
A double to left center in the fifth turned into a Belle score following an RBI single to center field to increase the lead to 3-1. Three straight singles in the top of the sixth and a Pioneer error contributed to another run to put the Belles up 4-1.
 
TWU made a run with two outs on the board due in part to an ASU throwing error that placed Avery Williams on second base. Kennedy singled to right center, advancing Williams to third, and Sylestine was hit by a pitch to place the tying run on first, but the Belles were finally able to obtain to final out for the win.
 
Raegyn Parrish (1-2) suffered the loss, but did not allow a hit, with two runs on three walks.
 
Head Coach Genny Stidham said, "I am proud of our fight. I think we still have better softball to play, but we showed we can hang with the best of them."
 
The Pioneers travel to Tarleton State April 6 for a single game at 7 p.m. and a doubleheader April 7 at 1 p.m.