TYLER, TEXAS – #1 UT Tyler softball dropped an 11-8 decision to #2 seed West Texas A&M in the opening game of the NCAA Division II South Central Super Regional on Thursday.
 
The Patriots got on the board first after a scoreless top of the first. A walk and a bunt single led them off, and Taryn Barney then hammered one off the scoreboard in left field for a 3-0 lead early in the game.
 
The Lady Buffs would answer in the top of the second, hitting a two run blast to left center to make it 3-2. In the top of the third, they added two more runs off of another homer, this time to right center field to make it 4-3 and take their first lead.
 
In the home half of the third, the Patriots rallied, responding immediately with a leadoff home run to right field from Ka'Lyn Watson to make it 4-4. Three batters later, Abbie Behe drove a single up the middle that plated two more runs. Three batters after her, it was Megan Geyer who drove in two more runs via another single up the middle and the Patriots had an 8-4 lead.
 
Neither team would plate a run in the fourth, but the Lady Buffs cut their deficit in half with a two run blast in the fifth. In the sixth, they got a big rally, hitting a solo homer and getting a bases clearing double to take a 10-8 lead.
 
They would add one final run via solo home run in the seventh, putting the touches on an 11-8 win in game one of the series.
 
Taryn Barney drove in three runs via her three run blast. Abbie Behe and Megan Geyer each recorded two RBI, and Bailey Krolczyk and Ka'Lyn Watson each totaled two hits on the day.
 
UT Tyler will be back to work on Friday, taking on the Lady Buffs at 3 p.m. The Patriots will have to win that game to force the if-necessary game starting approximately 30 minutes after game one concludes.