Tarleton State’s historic Division I era season run ends at hands of No. 24 Grand Canyon in 11 innings in WAC Championship

"I am so incredibly proud of this team," said head coach . "They all believed and bought in, and you see where it got us. From dropping the play-in a year ago to finishing the conference runner-up shows the protentional we have moving forward."

The Texans were picked preseason No. 7 giving the Stephenville squad another reason to prove everyone wrong. They did just that securing the No. 2 spot in the conference and earning a double bye in the conference tournament in their first year of postseason eligibility.

"I want to thank our seniors for everything," continued Cumpian. "They all bought in and continued to grind day in, day out no matter the outcome and have left the program better then they found it. They will forever Bleep Purple and they leave a lasting impact on the underclassmen on how to do things right and have set a great example for them."

Saturday, it was one pitch that made all the difference in the 11th inning after both sides saw seven complete innings of shutout softball. Both teams put up a two spot in the first before the Texans took the lead in the bottom of the second 3-2 before the Lopes tied it up 3-3 the following half inning.

The champs got the scoring started in the top of the first as Willa Ford reached on a fielding error on on a ball that was in and out of her glove. The E3 allowed Emily Gonzalez and Mia Weckel to score two runs, both unearned to go up 2-0.

A quick response from the Texans in the bottom half of the first evened things up quickly putting pressure back on the Lopes. Senior catcher singled down the right field line scoring both senior third baseman and junior first baseman Fox to tied things up 2-2.

Only four hitters for GCU made it to the plate in the top of the second as the Texans got a quick out No. 1 off a foul out. A walk and then a single seemed to put the Purple and White in a rough spot. Thanks to Weckel lining out into a double play, Tarleton State got out of the top half and looked to go up in the bottom half.

Tarleton State did just that in the bottom half of the second as hit a two-out single to right center putting the go-ahead run on the base paths. Reed then moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Taryn Batterton was then pulled by head coach Shanon Hays as Oakley Vickers took over in the circle for the Lopes. Fox then worked a nine-pitch at-bat walking to put two on with two out. Germain then followed up with an 0-1 single to left center scoring Reed to give the Texans the 3-2 advantage.

In the top half of the third the Lopes responded tying things up 3-3 as Ford hit a sac fly to center scoring Haley Wolsky from third. Then GCU added another base runner as walked Tinley Lucas. then took over in the circle for Marquez who had taken over for . With the bases loaded, made a score saving third out diving catch in center to retire the Lopes and keep it 3-3 through three innings.

came in and tossed seven shoutout innings just as Maggie Place did for No. 24 Grand Canyon. Both teams left a combined 13 runners on the next seven innings as neither team was able to get a run across to break the deadlock.

In the top of the 11th, Gonzalez swung first pitch sending it to center to give the Lopes the 4-3 advantage putting the Texans in a score or go home situation in the bottom half of the frame. Tarleton State went down in order all grounding out as the Texans historic run came to an abrupt, hard ending in a year that most thought the Purple and White had a chance to knock off the champs and make a regional appearance in their first year of eligibility.

For the Texans, Blincoe went 2.1 IP as she gave up three runs (one earned) on one hit. She also struck out a trio and walked a half dozen. The senior from Georgetown, Texas ended her career giving up just one eanred run over her last 16.1 IP. Marquez then tossed the next 0.1 IP giving up no runs on now hits while she walked one. (L, 15-6) then pitched the meat of the game tossing 8.1 IP giving up the one run (earned) on one hit. She added six more K's to her book as she ends her freshman season sitting down just two shy of 175 with 173 which puts her seventh all-time in program history in single season strikeouts. She was just six away from tying sixth all-time at 179. Jordan Withrow holds the top two spots with 252 in 2018 and 215 in 2019.

For the Lopes, Batterton went just 1.2 IP as she gave up all three runs (all earned) on three hits while she walked a pair. Vickers then went the next inning-and-a-third as she allowed just two hits while walking two and sitting down one. Place (W, 10-3) went the final eight innings as she gave up five runs while also striking out five.

Tarleton State took four of 11 spots on the WAC All-Tournament Team tying Grand Canyon for the most on the team. The Texans had three seniors earn honors in (Pitcher), (3rd Baseman) and (Catcher). The freshman southpaw ace (Pitcher) was the only freshman in the conference to earn the honors.

was named WAC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-WAC following her regular season efforts heading into the postseason. Germain and Hill were both named First Team All-WAC as well. Blincoe also earned regular season credit as she was named Second Team All-WAC.

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