WICHITA FALLS, Texas (Mar. 13) – The TWU softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to the host Midwestern State, 4-2, and 15-5 (5), on Friday night at Mustangs Park. 
 
TWU is now 10-12 on the season and 2-2 in the Lone Star Conference.
 
In game one, the Pioneers led 2-1 before allowing three runs in the bottom of the sixth.  TWU sophomore Nicole Nordie led off the game with a single and came around to score on a ground out by sophomore Alyssa Galaz.  The Mustangs tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own.
 
TWU regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning with a run.  Senior Sarah Wittenburg started the inning with a double and scored on a two-out single by Nordie.  MSU hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead and added an insurance run on a ground out.
 
Sophomore Tori Bice started in the circle in game one for TWU and tossed a complete game in the loss.  Bice struck out five batters while allowing four runs.
 
In the second game, the Mustangs sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and jumped out to a 9-0 lead.  MSU had just four hits in the inning but drew four walks and the Pioneers committed two fielding errors.
 
TWU made it 9-3 in the third inning after the first four batters reached base.  The Pioneers scored their three runs on a RBI single by junior Laura Mabary, an RBI ground out by freshman Tylia Sylestine and a Mustangs' error.  MSU responded with five more runs in the bottom of the third and added another run in the bottom of the fourth.
 
TWU scored the other two runs in the fourth and the fifth innings.  Nordie brought home the fourth run on a RBI double and Wittenburg drove in the fifth run with a single.
 
"This was a tough doubleheader loss," said TWU head coach Genny Stidham.  "We let one get away in the first game.  Tori pitched well except one bad inning.  In the second game we struggled from the get go with our pitching and gave up too many walks.  We need to bounce back and win two games tomorrow to even the series."
 
The Pioneers will wrap-up their four-game Lone Star Conference series with Midwestern State on Saturday, Mar. 14, with a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.