DENTON, Texas (March 1, 2026) - Texas Woman's softball returned to Dianne Baker Field after a four-game road swing, as well as winners of back-to-back contests, playing host to the St. Mary's Rattlers on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers achieved their longest win streak of the young season with a 3-0 win in game one, but followed by splitting their second conference doubleheader with a 16-10 loss in the second.
The TWU defense and pitcher Randi Crawford stymied the Rattler offense in game one, as the sophomore tossed nine strikeouts in her fourth complete game en route to back-to-back shutouts – only the second time the Rattlers were unable to get a runner across home this season. Two of the Pioneers' three runs came from third-inning RBI doubles by Marissa Espinoza and Tamia Cherry, which also accounted for half of the offense's total hits.
The bats were much hotter in the second game, with 29 hits between the two teams, and every inning but two featuring at least one run. St. Mary's began the game with a 3-0 top of the first, only to be promptly doubled up with a six-run bottom-half performance by the Pioneers. TWU reached double-digit runs for the second time this season; however, the Rattlers propelled themselves to the win in the top of the seventh with seven runs, including a pair of home runs.
IMPACT PLAYERS (2 games)
PIONEER POWER MOMENTS
Game One (TWU wins 3-0)
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Espinoza began the scoring with two outs in the bottom of the third, connecting on the 1-0 pitch and doubling to left-center, scoring Riley Todd from second.
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In the following at-bat, Cherry connects on the first pitch she sees into left field, scoring Espinoza from second.
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With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, a wild pitch advanced the runners, scoring Espinoza to make the score 3-0.
Game Two (StMU wins 16-10)
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After connecting on the first pitch of the at-bat to double and score a pair of runs to tie the game at 4 apiece, Todd completed the scoring in the bottom of the first by stealing home to make the score 6-3 Pioneers.
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After giving up a home run to bring the Rattlers to within one in the top of the second, Mya Cherry drew a double play to end the inning and keep the Pioneer lead at 6-5.
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Entering the circle in relief in the top of the third, Abby Mangrum gets the final two outs to again secure the one-run Pioneer lead at 8-7.
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After St. Mary's tied the game at 9 apiece in the top of the fourth, TWU broke the stalemate with a Zaryah Williams double to score Todd from second.
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Leading 10-9 in the top of the fifth, Gaddis escaped the bases-loaded jam with a strikeout and foul out to preserve the lead for the Pioneers.
NEXT UP
The Pioneers return to the road to begin a six-game swing in Odessa for a doubleheader against the UT Permian Basin Falcons on March 6. First pitches are scheduled for 2 and 4 p.m.
-PIONEERS-
