CANYON, Texas (Apr. 29) – The TWU softball team advanced to the Lone Star Conference Tournament championship game for the second straight season with a 6-4 win over Midwestern State in the first semifinal game Friday evening in Canyon, TX.
 
Junior Nicole Nordie drove in three runs while junior Katie Hickey tossed seven innings and allowed just one run for the win. 
 
Midwestern State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning including two unearned runs.  The Mustangs loaded bases with no outs after their three runs but a popup and a double play ended their threat.
 
The Pioneers answered right away with two runs in the bottom of the inning.  Junior Logan Polasek reached on an infield single before Nordie hit her sixth home run of the season to left center.
 
TWU took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the second with a pair of unearned runs.  The Pioneers made it 5-3 on a RBI ground out by sophomore Sydney Hester, scoring senior Laura Mabary from third.
 
Both teams traded runs in the fourth.  After the Mustangs cut the deficit to 5-4, Nordie singled up the middle with two outs to score senior Tealey Farquhar from second to make it 6-4.
 
Junior Katie Hickey, who came in relief in the first inning with no outs, allowed just three base runners in the final three innings to secure the win.
 
"It could have been much worst in the first inning but Katie came in and got us out of it," said TWU head coach Genny Stidham.  "Nordie hit the big home run to get us back in the game and we were able to settle down.  Our defense was better after the first inning and offensively we were able to move runners."
 
The championship game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.  TWU will face the winner of the second semifinal game between West Texas A&M and Angelo State.