LAWTON – The Cameron University softball team snatched a thrilling victory today over Tarleton State, the top-ranked team in the Lone Star Conference. The squad’s win today marked only the second conference loss the TexAnns have faced all season.

TSU kicked off the first inning with a homerun to left field from Arianna Rodriguez. The Black and Gold’s Leslie Martini answered with a homerun of her own in the bottom of the second, but the TexAnns would collect two more homers in the third—another from Rodriguez and a hard-hit bomb over the left field fence by Katie Welborn.

The Aggies would match TSU by adding two runs in the bottom of the third. Third baseman Drew Wright hammered a homerun to centerfield, scoring Misty Dooley and tying the game 3-3.

The TexAnns collected an additional two runs in the fourth inning when Abigail Tammen homered to left field, allowing Shelby Tinklepaugh to come across the plate. Rodriguez hit her third home run of the game in the fifth, which permitted the Texas team to tack on another run.

The CU bats heated up in the sixth inning. Tara Martini knocked a single into right field and then advance to second on an error by the right fielder. Micah Foutch next hit a beauty of a double down the right field line, scoring T. Martini. M. Foutch then stole third, just before Sonia Foutch next hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, allowing M. Foutch to score.

With the score favoring the TexAnns 6-5, the Aggie women would find their motivation with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Dooley made her way to first base when she reached on an error by the shortstop. Wright was then handed a walk from pitcher Brittany Sharp. T. Martini would next come up to the plate. The CU freshman stepped up and embraced the opportunity before her, pounding a walk-off homer over the right field fence.

Cameron softball coach Beth Watson was more than pleased with the performance her squad put forth today.

“We came out hungry today and were outstanding. We really stayed in there and battled. We never gave up. I’m very proud of how the team played,” Watson said. “Our win today was huge and we’re going to try to build on that as we head into our next series.

The Aggie women will be in action again at 1 p.m. on Tuesday when they face Southeastern Oklahoma at Cameron Field.