WICHITA FALLS, Texas (April 30, 2022) – In exciting fashion, the Texas Woman's University softball team closed their 2022 season with a doubleheader sweep of Midwestern State University on Saturday afternoon.
 
TWU (12-33, 7-23 Lone Star Conference) defeated Midwestern State (8-37, 7-23) 2-1 in the first game and 6-0 in the second game, closing their season with two conference wins.
 
"What a way to close out our season and send our seniors out on a high note," TWU head coach Amber Barker said. "They all played their hearts out until the very last out, and I am so incredibly proud of each one of them."
 
The Pioneers went on the road for their final doubleheader of 2022 and recorded their first win against the Mustangs since 2019.
 
In game one, TWU jumped out to the early lead in the top of the second inning.
 
Briana Yale started off the base running for the Pioneers in the second inning with a ground-rule double. Then, Leah Deaver singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw, which allowed Yale to advance to third base.
 
With both Yale and Deaver in scoring position, Alexys Ginegaw gets hit by a pitch for the ninth time the season, which ranks fourth in the LSC.
 
TWU had the bases loaded and only one out on the board. Then, Da'Jia Davis stepped up to the plate and also got hit by a pitch, allowing Yale to score. The next Pioneer batter, Kate Franz, singled to the shortstop to score Deaver and give TWU the 2-0 lead.
 
The Pioneers defense gave up one run to the Mustangs in the bottom of the fourth inning but held them scoreless for the remainder of the game to win the first game 2-1.
 
TWU recorded three hits in the game, one from Yale, Deaver and Franz. Davis and Franz both finished with RBIs in the win.
 
Jalee McDonald started in the circle for the Pioneers. In three innings, she struck out one batter. Jules Malis (6-13) entered the game in the fourth inning, struck out three batters and allowed zero runs.
 
After winning game one by a close margin, the Pioneers kicked off the second game with early runs to win game two by a huge margin.
 
Paige Tamayo kicked off the six-run game with a home run to center field, marking the 22nd home run of her career and an exciting end to her senior season at TWU.
 
The Pioneers scored two more runs in the top of the third inning.
 
After hitting a single to third base and stealing second base, Franz advanced to third on a ground out by Rylee Lara. Back up in the lineup, Tamayo walked. Then, Tamayo stole second and Franz stole home to score the Pioneers second run of the game. Following the score by Franz, Tamayo crossed home for her second run of the game and third run for TWU after Missy Wise singled through the right side.
 
In the fourth inning, Ginegaw got on base with a single to center field. Then, three batters later, Franz reached first base on a fielder's choice, recorded an RBI, as Ginegaw scored.
 
The Pioneers scored another run in the top of the fifth inning to increase their lead to 5-0. Tamayo scored her third run of the game after opening the inning with a single to center field. Cecily Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to center field, recorded the RBI and Tamayo scored.
 
TWU scored their sixth and final run of the game in the top of the sixth inning. Franz scored on a Tamayo double to center field.
 
The Pioneers finished with 11 hits in the game. Tamayo led with three hits, while Franz and Rodriguez finished with two hits each.
 
Franz also led the Pioneers in stolen bases with two.
 
Kelsie Briggs (5-13) pitched all seven innings and struck out four batters to record the win.
 
The two wins against the Mustangs marked the end of the 2022 season for the Pioneers. In 2022, TWU won seven games in conference play and finished in 14th in the LSC.