Game 5: Tarleton State vs. UC Davis

TARLETON STATE 10, UC DAVIS 4
 
FORT COLLINS, CO – Tarleton State broke open a close game by scoring nine runs in the final two innings, moving past UC Davis on Friday in an elimination game of the 2023 NISC.
 
The Texans (31-28) will face Iowa or South Dakota State later Friday, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s semifinals.
 
Sarah Starks got the Aggies (29-22) on the board first with a two-out single in the third inning that brought in Anna Dethlefson.
 
Tarleton State first baseman Jordan Dickerson hit her second home run of the tournament in the fourth, tying the game at 1-1, and the Texans moved ahead 3-1 on a two-RBI double from Morgan Medford in the sixth. MacKenzie Peterson followed with a single; Medford scored and Tarleton State claimed a 4-1 lead.  
 
Sarah Nakahara came through with a two-out single for UC Davis, and the Aggies trailed just 4-2.
 
Kayla Wallace started adding insurance runs for Tarleton State in the seventh, launching a two-run homer to make it 6-2. Medford’s two-run single made it 8-2 and Brittany Coe’s double in the inning pushed the Texans ahead, 10-2.
 
Bella Pahulu closed the scoring with a two-run homer for UC Davis. Aggies starter Kenedi Brown did have nine strikeouts.
 
For Tarleton State, Tristan Bridges went four innings with three hits, three walks, three strikeouts and one earned run. Grace Garcia did well in relief, going three innings and giving up four hits.