CANYON, Texas (Feb. 12) – Junior Tori Bice struck out a career-high nine batters and sophomore Amanda Gray hit TWU's first home run of the season to help the Pioneers to a split at WT Invitational.  TWU lost to No. 12 St. Mary's, 7-6, before defeating Adams State, 4-1.
 
Against the Rattlers, TWU took a 3-0 lead before STMU scored seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings.  The Pioneers rallied with three runs in the sixth but came up short as they fell by a run.
 
Senior Tealey Farquhar led off the game with a single, stole second and later scored on a double-steal.  TWU added two run in the top of the third including a RBI ground out by Gray.
 
STMU scored a pair of unearned runs in the fourth to make it 3-2.  The Rattlers then sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth, scoring five runs to take a 7-3 lead.  The Pioneers responded in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with three straight singles to start the inning.  Junior Katy Stephens cleared the bases with a double to make it 7-6.
 
TWU again put the first two batters on base with back-to-back singles in the top of the seventh.  The Pioneers tried to tie the game on a grounder to short but the runner was thrown out at the plate.  A fly out and a ground out followed to end the game.
 
Against Adams State, TWU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a RBI single by Gray.  After a scoreless second, Gray made it 2-0 with another RBI single.  The Pioneers made it 3-0 in the fourth after freshman Lindy Kennedy scored from third on an illegal pitch. 
 
The Grizzlies scored a run in the top of the sixth to make it 3-1 but Gray led off the bottom of the sixth with TWU's first home run of the season.  She found the left center field fence to make it 4-1.  Bice started in the circle and closed out the game with a strikeout in a complete-game victory.  She struck out a career-high nine Grizzlies and picked up her fourth win of the season.
 
Junior Logan Polasek went 5-for-7 in the two games and scored two runs while Gray finished 4-for-6 with four RBI and two runs.  The Pioneers continued to show off their speed as they recorded nine steals on 10 attempts in the two games.
 
"We had one bad inning, other than that we played really well in both games," said TWU head Genny Stidham.  "Our offense is clicking with the timely hits and Tori did a good job in the circle in the second game.  Hailey (Dixon) pitched well early against St. Mary's but struggled in the fifth.  I am happy with the split today."
 
The Pioneers will return to action with two more games on Saturday, Feb. 13.  TWU will face Fort Lewis at 12:15 p.m. and Lubbock Christian at 2:30 p.m.