CANYON, Texas (Apr. 26) – The TWU softball team swept a doubleheader against #2 West Texas A&M on Sunday afternoon in Canyon to capture a 3-1 series win over the Lady Buffs.  The Pioneers won the first game 4-2 before closing out the regular season with an 11-10 win after two lightning delays and a medical delay.
 
With the two wins, TWU improved its record to 27-19-2 on the season and 19-7-2 in the Lone Star Conference.
 
Game one was a pitcher's duel through the first four innings between TWU's Bailee Wortham and WTAMU's Rita Hokianga.  The Lady Buffs led 1-0 after four innings on a solo home run in the third. 
 
The Pioneers rallied in the top of the fifth with one out to take a 3-1 lead.  A walk, single, and a fielder's choice put runners in the corners for sophomore Alyssa Galaz.  Galaz smashed her 10th home run of the season to center field to put TWU ahead.
 
The Pioneers added an insurance run in the sixth on a two-out RBI single by junior Tealey Farquhar.  The Lady Buffs scored their second run on another solo home run in the seventh and loaded the bases with two outs but a fly out to left field sealed the win for TWU.
 
In the second game, the Pioneers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.  Junior Laura Mabary drove in the game's first run with a single through the left side and senior Sarah Wittenburg was hit by pitch with bases loaded to bring home the second run.  WTAMU responded in the bottom of the first with three runs to go on top 3-2.
 
After a scoreless second, TWU sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs to take a 7-3 lead.  With bases loaded and no outs, sophomore Katy Stephens homered to left center to clear the bases.  Mabary drove in the fifth run with a double to left center.  The Lady Buffs again answered with three runs in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to one and then added four in the fourth to take a 10-7 lead.
 
After another scoreless inning in the fifth, the Pioneers rallied with two outs in the top of the sixth to go back on top, 11-10.  TWU scored an unearned run to start the rally and junior Taylor Beeman brought home the second run with an infield single.  Sophomore Nicole Nordie doubled to left center to score two more runs and put the Pioneers on top.
 
Sophomore pitcher Tori Bice worked around a one-out walk and a two-out single in the sixth.  She then worked out of two-on, no-out jam in the seventh to capture her 18th win of the season.  Bice also picked up the save in game one after Wortham tossed six innings for her seventh win of the year.
 
"We have been playing really well for the past month," said TWU head coach Genny Stidham.  "This is a tough place to play.  For us to come here and win three games shows that we are peaking at the right time.  After a rough start to the season, we have put ourselves in a good position for the post season.  We had so many girls that came up with big hits this weekend.  I am proud of the entire team."
 
The Pioneers will return to action when they head back to Canyon, TX, to play in the 2015 Lone Star Conference Championship on May 1-2.  TWU, the second seed in the tournament, will receive a bye in the opening round and will face the winner of Tarleton State and Texas A&M-Commerce in the semifinals on Friday, May 1, at 4:00 p.m. at Schaeffer Park.