MAGNOLIA, Ark. (Feb. 5) – The TWU softball team won both games on the first day of the SAU Softball Invitational in Magnolia, AR.  The Pioneers defeated Rogers State 5-3 in the first game before two TWU pitchers combined for a no-hitter in a 4-0 win against Newman.
 
Junior Tori Bice started in the circle against Newman and tossed six hitless innings while freshman Nicole Gandy finished off with one-two-three seventh.  It's the second combined no-hitter and ninth overall in school history.  Blaire Beaty and Analisa Dominguez tossed the first combined no-no against Colorado College on Feb. 12, 1999.
 
In the opener the Pioneers fell behind 3-0 before scoring their five runs in the final three innings.  Rogers State scored a run with two outs in the bottom of the first and then added two more in the bottom of third.  TWU managed just two base runners on a walk and a single through the first four innings.
 
In the top of the fifth, TWU loaded the bases with two outs and junior Logan Polasek singled down the leftfield line to bring home two runs.  The Pioneers evened the score in the top of the sixth with a run.  Sophomore Amanda Gray started off the inning with a double down the leftfield line.  Junior Katy Stephens single through the right side to bring home pinch runner freshman Chiara Mattoline to make it 3-3.
 
Polasek started the seventh inning with a single to center field and moved to second on a groundout.  Senior Laura Mabary single to center field to drive in Polasek for the go ahead run.  Mabary later scored on Stephens' single to left center for an insurance run.
 
Polasek and Stephens both finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBI.  Junior Katie Hickey came in relief and pitched 4.2 innings for the win.  She allowed just two hits while striking out three batters.
 
Against Newman both teams went scoreless through the first three innings before TWU took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.  Senior Tealey Farquhar singled to start the inning and later scored on Mabary's sacrifice fly.  Nicole Nordie also reached on an error prior to the sac fly and scored on a throwing error by the centerfielder.
 
The Pioneers made it 3-0 in the fifth on a RBI single by Farquhar and added an unearned run in the sixth.  Gray scored the run in the fifth while Mabary crossed the plate in the sixth.
 
Farquhar and Mabary both finished with two hits each.  Bice struck out seven batters for her second win of the season.
 
"It took us few innings to get going on offense in both games but we had some timely hits," said TWU head coach Genny Stidham.  "Katie and Tori pitched really well.  They walked some batters but got the outs when needed and put up zeros on the scoreboard.  Overall we played well and we need to continue to get better."
 
The Pioneers will play two more game on Saturday, Feb. 6 at SAU Softball Invitational.  TWU will face Lincoln at 12:00 p.m. and Southwest Baptist at 4:00 p.m.