WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Kasey Barber's three-run home run in the third inning helped East Central cash in on numerous dinks and dunks as the Tigers claimed a 6-5 win in Game 1 Tuesday afternoon at Mustangs Park.

After Lauren Kuestersteffen and sister Hilary Kuestersteffen reached on consecutive, well-placed infield singles, Barber blasted her sixth home run of the year to give the Tigers the early 3-0 lead.

Brandi Goodrich came around to give East Central a 4-0 before the Mustangs answered with a pair of runs in the fourth inning on a run-scoring groundout by Amanda Potysman and a Maranda Bishop infield single.

The Tigers struck for two more runs in the sixth to push the advantage to 6-2 before Alyson Reynolds and Potysman launched back-to-back homers to pull MSU within two.

Sarah Weary reached on an infield single before scoring scoring on Bishop's RBI double to the left field gap as the Mustangs to close the gap to 6-5.

Bishop was thrown out attempting to stretch a double into a triple to effectively end the Mustangs threat.

ECU starter Ellen Estabrooks allowed two runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings for her first win of the season before giving way to Dana McLaren who allowed three runs on six more hits in two inings.

Randee Crockett came on to pitch the final 1 2/3 innings of shutout softball to earn her first save of the season.

Bishop went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs while Jessica Rodriguez also went 3-for-4 to pace MSU's 13-hit attack.

Reynolds went 2-for-4 with an RBI inlucing her fifth home run of the season. Potysman's blast was her second of the season.

Kaelee Kramer took the loss for the Mustangs to fall to 1-2. The freshman hurler allowed four runs - three earned - on seven hits in three innings of work.

Nicole Sanchez, Laura Kuestersteffen and Hillary Kuesteffen had two hits each for East Central.