CANYON, Texas (Feb. 13) – The TWU softball team got a pair of quality starts in the pitching circle and used a pair of first collegiate home runs to sweep the two games on the second day at WT Invitational.  The Pioneers defeated Fort Lewis, 10-1, in six innings and then shutout Lubbock Christian, 1-0.
 
Junior Tori Bice allowed one run against FLC to pick up her fifth win of the season while junior Hailey Dixon tossed a complete-game shutout against LCU for her first win of the year.  Freshman Melanie Stephens hit a walk-off home run in sixth, a two-run shot, against Fort Lewis in the run-rule win.  Freshman Lindy Kennedy hit an inside-the-park home run in the top of the seventh against Lubbock Christian for the only run of the game.  It's the first inside-the-park HR for TWU since Bailey Vrazel hit one on Feb. 15, 2013 against Regis.
 
Against Fort Lewis the Pioneers scored three run in the bottom of the first inning on two-RBI single by sophomore Amanda Gray and a RBI single by junior Katy Stephens.  TWU made it 6-0 in the second with three more runs.  Senior Tealey Farquhar and juniors Logan Polasek and Nicole Nordie all picked up a RBI.
 
The Pioneers made it 8-0 with a run in the third and a run in the fourth.  Farquhar recorded RBI double in the third while Gray singled to drive in the run in the fourth.  Fort Lewis made it 8-1 in the top of the fifth with a two-out RBI double.
 
TWU closed out the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.  Gray singled with one out and Melanie Stephens ended the game with a shot to the left field with two outs.
 
In the second game it was a pitcher's duel between Dixon and LCU's Ashton Bell for six innings.  The only scoring threat came when the Lady Chaps put runners on second and third with one out in the fifth.  Dixon got out of it with back-to-back infield pop ups.
 
With two outs in the top of the seventh, Kennedy hit a deep fly ball down the left field line and the ball landed on the line before rolling to the corner.  Kennedy showed off her speed and flew around the bases for the only score.  Dixon closed out the game with a pair of pop ups and a strikeout in the bottom of the seventh.
 
"Tori and Hailey did an outstanding job in the circle," said TWU head coach Genny Stidham.  "Lubbock Christian is a very good team and Hailey shut them down.  She needed just one run and Lindy got her a run when she found the left field line.  In the first game against Fort Lewis our offense clicked with timely hits.  Amanda, Laura and Tealey were on base a lot and Melanie had a big home run to end the game."
 
The Pioneers will close out their trip with a single game on Sunday, Feb. 14.  TWU will face Colorado State-Pueblo at 12:45 p.m.