COMMERCE, Texas – Texas Southern dropped a pair softball contests to open its 2025 season on Friday in the opener of the East Texas A&M Leadoff.
SFA 13, TSU 3
SFA combined to score eight runs in the first two innings en route to a 13-3 decision.
With two outs in the first and a runner on third, a double by SFA scored the game's first run. The 'Jacks drew a walk and upped the margin to 2-0 following a single.
TSU's Kylie Wilson led the bottom of the first off with a single and moved to second following Karisma Garcia's single with one out. However, TSU couldn't answer the early score as they recorded a pop out and a fielder's choice.
SFA broke the game open with a six-run second and a two-run third as TSU would answer with a run in the third as Garcia's double scored Marisa Perla. SFA tacked on two more in the fourth and another pair in the fifth. Garcia recorded an RBI via a fielder's choice in the fifth while Marissa Martinez drove in Zariah London for the final score of the day.
Wilson had a solid TSU debut with a 3-for-3 outing while Garcia finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. DaNia Durr, Martinez and Destiny Menchaca also had hits.
Kristen Driver was tagged with the loss while Kaelani Randle came on in relief.
SOUTH DAKOTA 9, TSU 2
A tight game was broken open in the final two innings as South Dakota claimed a 9-2 win over TSU in game two.
Kylie Wilson led the game off with a single and moved over to second on Penelope Saenz's sac bunt. Karisma Garcia drove in Wilson with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead.
A throwing error in the bottom frame tied the contest at 1-1 and USD moved ahead 2-1 in the second on a sac bunt with two outs. TSU would tie it up in the third on Garcia's RBI double which scored Wilson from second.
Another throwing error with two outs in the fourth by TSU led to USD moving ahead 3-2. TSU had the tying run on third with two outs in the fifth but couldn't capitalize. USD tacked on two runs in the fifth and added four more in the sixth for the final margin.
Wilson and Garcia both had two hits apiece while Amerie Martin had a hit. Wilson dropped to 0-1 on the season as she pitched 5.2 innings of relief.
TSU is back in action at 2 p.m. against South Dakota State and 7 p.m. versus host East Texas A&M.
