DENTON, Texas (Apr. 9) – The TWU softball team won the conference series against Texas A&M Kingsville on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers won the first game, 4-2, behind another stellar pitching outing by Tori Bice, and then completed a huge comeback for a 13-12 victory in the nightcap.
 
The second win gave TWU victory No. 600 in program history since it was reinstated in 1997.
 
"It's a great accomplishment for the TWU softball program and I am proud to be part of it," said TWU head coach Genny Stidham.  "Every player that put Maroon and White and contributed to all these wins since 1997 should be very proud.  "
 
Bice (16-9) won her second game of the weekend on Saturday with a four-hit complete game. She pitched six scoreless innings before giving up a two-run homer in the top of the seventh.
 
The second game featured a combined six pitchers, 25 runs and 27 hits. The Pioneers tied the game in the second inning, but never led until Katy Stephens knocked in the game-winning run with a bunt single in the bottom of the seventh.
 
In the opening game, the Pioneers posted 11 hits but left eight batters stranded on base. None of the runs scored came off base hits. Two of the runs were scored off errors, one came off a wild pitch, and Amanda Gray knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly in the third.
 
Bice struck out just one batter but limited the visitors to just three hits through six innings of work. Her only mistake was a walk and then a home run to center field in the seventh.
 
The Pioneers continued to strand runners in the second game but a season-high 18 hits produced 13 runs, which was enough for the victory.
 
TAMUK put runs on the scoreboard early with two runs in the first inning. TWU immediately followed with one run in the bottom of the first off a Nicole Nordie sacrifice bunt, and Stephens tied the game with her first home run of the season in the second.
 
The visitors took a commanding 9-2 lead in the fourth inning with seven runs. Most of the damage was done by a Rachael Longoria grand slam.
 
TWU began to peck away at the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded, Laura Mabary brought home two runs with a double. The Pioneers loaded the bases again for Lindy Kennedy who plated two runs with a long single.
 
Haley Boyett extended TAMUK's lead again in the fifth with a three-run homer, 12-6. TWU entered the bottom of the sixth down by six runs.
 
The comeback in the bottom of the sixth was a team effort; everyone batted at least once, and they all reached base except for Gray. But Gray tied the game, 12-12, with a bases-loaded groundout that scored the runner from third. Stephens started the inning with a hit-by-pitch and then came up again to bring Nordie home for the game winner with a bunt single.
 
Katie Hickey, who entered the game in the sixth, earned the win with two pop ups and a grounder in the top of the seventh.
 
"What an unbelievable comeback in the second game," said Stidham.  "It took guts and never give-up attitudes.  Jerod and Jamie kept them focused.  I will remember this particular win for a long time.  It was won with a great deal of heart."
 
The Pioneers will now hit the road for their final road series of the regular season.  TWU will play a four-game series at Eastern New Mexico on Apr. 15-16.  Both teams will open the series with a doubleheader on Friday, Apr. 15 at 1:00 p.m. (CST).