By Brian Magloyoan | Texas Woman's Athletics Communications
 
DENTON (April 27, 2019) — Texas Woman's Softball ended Senior Day with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Western New Mexico in nine innings.
 
With the final game of the season tied 1-1, senior Lindy Kennedy stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning and lined a ground-rule double to left field to start the inning.
 
"Honestly, I just knew it was going to be my last at-bat," Kennedy said. "I knew I had to hit something hard for my teammates."
 
Two batters later, fellow senior Tylia Sylestine stepped up to the plate and connected on the game-winning RBI single to left field, capping the Pioneer comeback.
 
"It was such a nerve-wracking at-bat," Sylestine recalled. "I just knew, once Lindy got in that scoring position, it was my time to shine. This was going to be the last at-bat of my career, time to score that winning run." 
 
It was a fitting ending for two of the team's four seniors.
 
"I was glad to see it happen like it did," head coach Amber Barker said. "With the senior scoring and the senior hitting it. It was pretty nice to see."
 
After dropping the opening game of the doubleheader, 6-0, the Pioneers trailed early after a giving up a run in the first inning. Bailey Turner once again kept the Pioneers in the ballgame, keeping the Mustangs off the board through the final eight innings. She would go nine innings, recording nine strikeouts, both career-highs, for her eighth win of the season.
 
Following the game, the four seniors of Sylestine, Kennedy, Alexis Elizondo and Jordan Kisselburg were honored with a special on-field ceremony -- along with sophomore Alexa Neifert, who also played in the final game of her career in order to focus on obtaining her degree next year.
 
"They're a special group," Barker said. "It's been special for me to coach them."