DEER PARK, Texas – Texas Southern dropped a conference series to UAPB this weekend by a 2-1 margin.
UAPB 4, TSU 2
A three-run second inning was enough for UAPB to hold on to as they claimed a 4-2 win in game one.
Playing in her hometown of Deer Park, TSU's Kylie Wilson led the game off with a bunt, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Destiny Menchaca's RBI double in the first.
UAPB would lead the second off with a double and tied it at 1-all after Kaitlyn Neely's double. Two batters later, they moved ahead 2-1 on an RBI single and a two-out single led to a 3-1 margin. TSU returned to the scoreboard in the fifth as Wilson singled and moved over to second after an error. Wilson cut the lead to 3-2 after Karisma Garcia's RBI.
UAPB added an insurance run in the seventh and pitched a 1-2-3 bottom frame for the win.
Wilson and Menchaca both had two hits while Wilson fell to 4-3 on the mound.
TSU 6, UAPB 5
TSU scored twice in the seventh to claim a 6-5 comeback win in game two.
UAPB had a four-run first inning for an early 4-0 lead but TSU cut the gap to 4-2 in the second as DaNia Durr singled and an UAPB error led to two runs as Madison Battle and Marrissa Martinez scored.
TSU tied it at 4-all in the fourth as Battle led the inning off with a single. Martinez singled but a UAPB throwing error allowed Battle and Martinez to both score. UAPB added a run in the seventh to lead 5-4 but TSU would have a dramatic comeback in the seventh.
With one out, Menchaca reached base on an fielding error followed by Lanay Carr's single. Madison Battle forced a walk and Martinez hit a sac fly to left which scored Menchaca. On the throw, the UAPB defense didn't react to ball quick enough and TSU took advantage with the game-winning run as Carr scored from third.
Menchaca finished 2-for-4 with a run scored while Martinez was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Kaelani Randle came on in relief and earned the win after 6.2 innings of action.
UAPB 3, TSU 1
Arkansas-Pine Bluff captured the series with well-timed plays as they won 3-1 on Sunday.
UAPB hit a pair of RBI singles in the fourth to lead 2-0 and added another in the fifth for a 3-0 margin. TSU found its way to the scoreboard in the sixth as Lanay Carr took advantage of a pair of UAPB errors to reach second. Marissa Martinez drove her home for a 3-1 margin.
TSU was on the verge of last-inning heroics once again in the seventh with two runners on and no outs. However, UAPB starter Kayla Adams struck out the next two and forced a game-ending flyout to stall the potential rally.
Kylie Wilson finished 2-for-4 and fell to 4-4 on the year despite striking out six over seven innings.
TSU is back in action on Tuesday at SFA for a 3 p.m. start in Nacogdoches.
