In a dominating display of offensive prowess, the No. 6-ranked UT Tyler Patriots trounced the Midwestern State Mustangs 26-1 in a rain-interrupted series opener at Mustangs Park on Friday afternoon. The game, which witnessed a 37-minute rain delay in the first inning, saw the Patriots capitalizing on the wet conditions to secure a resounding victory.

Midwestern State, now standing at 4-21 overall and 2-14 against Lone Star Conference (LSC) opponents, struggled to contain UT Tyler’s relentless offense throughout the game. UT Tyler, with an impressive 17-5 overall record and a 9-4 conference standing, wasted no time asserting their dominance.

The Patriots seized control early, scoring 21 runs in the first inning alone, scoring 16 runs on seven hits against three MSU pitchers. Taking advantage of nine walks and two batters hit by a pitch, UT Tyler displayed remarkable efficiency at the plate.

Midwestern State, on the other hand, committed four errors in the first inning alone, compounding their defensive woes.

Junior nursing major and utility player Sydney Shimkus said MSU struggled to get going.

“The errors were definitely a big reason for the outcome of our game, we just could not get any momentum going,” Shimkus said.

Although Midwestern State managed to register a lone run courtesy of Levi Luna’s RBI in the second inning, it was not enough to stem the tide of UT Tyler’s offensive onslaught. The Patriots continued to pile on runs, with Courtney Plocheck, Sam Schott and Michelle Arias each contributing four RBIs to their team’s total.

UT Tyler’s offensive explosion saw them score the most runs in a Lone Star Conference game since Eastern New Mexico’s victory over St. Edward’s two years ago. Additionally, their 26 runs tied for the second-most in an NCAA Division II game this season, underscoring the magnitude of their achievement.

Despite Midwestern State’s valiant efforts to mount a comeback, UT Tyler remained relentless, adding two more runs in the third inning and closing out the scoring barrage with another run in the fourth inning.

With this commanding victory, UT Tyler reaffirmed its status as a force to be reckoned with in the Lone Star Conference, while Midwestern State faces an uphill battle to bounce back from this defeat in the remainder of the series.