WICHITA FALLS, Texas (March 26, 2023) - On Sunday afternoon in Wichita Falls, Texas Woman's (17-19, 11-16) softball dropped the closing double header to Midwestern State (5-28, 4-20).
 
The Pioneers and the Mustangs squared off in a doubleheader on Sunday. After winning game one on Saturday, the Mustangs won game two, 3-2, to set up a rubber match, which the Mustangs claimed, 5-4. 
 
In game one, TWU started out the scoring in the third inning. Lauren Trinh recorded the first run with the help of Delaney Boley's single to the middle for the RBI.
 
After a double to the right center, the Mustangs strung together three runs in the bottom of the third, putting the Pioneers in a deficit, 3-1. Then, TWU was held scoreless in the fourth and fifth inning.
 
Battling from behind, the Pioneers made a last-ditch effort to take back the game in the top of the sixth inning. Makana Morton singled to left field, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Ciana Rodriguez to advance Morton to second. With two Pioneers on base and two outs on the board for TWU, heavy hitter Alyssa LeBlanc stepped up to bat, and singled up the middle to bring Morton home and bring the Pioneers within 1, 3-2.
 
The Pioneers defense played strong in the bottom of the sixth, holding MSU scoreless and giving the Pioneers a chance to tie or go-ahead in the seventh. Trinh found first base with a single to center field, but three quick outs by the Mustangs kept TWU from scoring, closing the game 3-2 in favor of MSU. 
 
From the circle, Janyssa Ramos (2-5) pitched all six innings for TWU. Ramos allowed six hits, two walks and struck out three Mustangs.
 
Avery Boley recorded 10 putouts in game two, followed by Delaney Boley with five putouts and Makana Morton recorded two.

In game three, the Mustangs held the Pioneers scoreless until the fourth inning, when TWU was the first team to get on the board. 
 
As a pinch runner for Avery Boley, Kristin Rodriguez entered the game and immediately stole second, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. She then scored after Delaney Boley hit into a fielder's choice, recording her first RBI of the afternoon. 
 
Delaney Boley advanced to third on a single to left field from Ciana Rodriguez. With LeBlanc up to bat, the bases were loaded for the Pioneers. LeBlanc added another RBI after being walked while Delaney Boley scored, giving the Pioneers the early 2-0 lead.
 
After holding the Mustangs scoreless for four straight innings, the Pioneers applied pressure from the plate to score two more runs in the fifth inning and increase their lead to 4-0. 
 
With the bases loaded for the Pioneers late in the fifth inning and two outs on the board, Ciana Rodriguez hit a single to left field for Hannah Schnettler and Avery Boley to score, giving the Pioneers a four-point lead over the Mustangs.  
 
In response to the Pioneers pair of runs in the top of the fifth, the Mustangs tallied five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead, 5-4. to cap off the evening. 
 
Following MSU's five run inning, the Pioneers were unable to find the tying and go ahead runs, dropping the series to the Mustangs. 
 
In six innings of work, Leblanc (10-8) threw 102 pitches, walked two, and struck out 10.
 
Defensively, the Pioneers totaled 18 putouts led by Delaney Boley with 11. Both Ciana Rodriguez and Avery Boley registered two putouts in game two.
 
The Pioneers return to Denton, Texas for a midweek double header on Wednesday, March 29, beginning at 4 p.m. The Pioneers will take on Southeastern Oklahoma State.