DURANT, Okla. - Softball is a game where decisions are made on the fly, so those split seconds are the ones which always leads to a win or a loss.

No. 3 Midwestern State was victim of pair of toss-up choices as Angelo State ended a 17-game winning streak for the Mustangs taking a 1-0 decision in eight innings.

The Rambelles (41-12) scored an unlikely run as Kaycee Taylor scored all the way from first base with two outs in the eighth inning after the Mustangs chose to pitch around the junior slugger.

"In my opinion, Taylor is the best hitter in the league when it comes to critical situations," MSU coach Brady Tigert said. "She has seen (MSU senior pitcher) Katie (Petersen) numerous times over the years. We were going to stay away from here. Katie is a great pitcher and I knew she would get the job done."

ASU freshman catcher Kacie Easley looped a shot to right field that alluded a late diving attempt by Midwestern right fielder Courtney Bingham which allowed Taylor to score the winning run all the way from first base.

The Mustangs had numerous chances, but failed to cash in on 12 baserunners while failing to plate run despite having runners in scoring position with less than two outs in five of the eight innings.

The Mustangs appeared to be on the way to scoring the go-ahead run in the fifth inning after Bingham drew a lead off walk and moved to second on Lauren Craig's groundout to shortstop.

Alyson Reynolds slammed a single through the left side of the infield, but Angelo State coach Travis Scott had moved his best arm - Brittany Astle - earlier in the inning.

Tigert chose to hold Bingham at third base, but Astle's throw was offline hitting halfway up the backstop.

"The had moved their best arm to left field," Tigert said. "I knew the ball got out there pretty quickly. It was the right choice at the time."

Angelo State reliever Chelsea Nelson induced Nicki Duff to ground out to third to end the frame.

The Mustangs, who claimed a 11-2 win over Tarleton State in the opening round, will now move into loser's bracket play and must win three games to play in Saturday's championship game.

Midwestern battles West Texas A&M in an elimination game noon and, with a win, will battle the victor of the Central Oklahoma/Southeastern Oklahoma State matchup at 2:30 p.m.

With two wins, the Mustangs would battle the loser of the Angelo State/East Central (Okla.) winner's bracket final at 5:30 p.m. for the right to advance to Saturday afternoon's final.

"We need to pitch like we did today and just keep our heads up," Tigert said. "We have to get rid of this loss out of our heads and go play."

Mustangs run-rule Tarleton State in first round: Alyson Reynolds capped a nine-run third inning with her first homer of the season - a grand slam to left field. - to lift Midwestern State to an 11-2 win over Tarleton State in the opening round of the Lone Star Conference Championships Thursday afternooon at the Durant Multi-Sport Complex.

Nine-straight Mustangs reached base in the frame as Natalie Rodriguez had an RBI double while Mallory Mooney added a two-run single and Brittney Tanner and Nicki Duff had one-run singles before Reynolds delivered the big blow to give the Mustangs a nine-run edge.

Tarleton State managed two runs in the fourth before the Mustangs tacked on a pair unearned tallies in the bottom of the inning.

Tanner won her eighth-straight decision to improve to 19-2 on the season while allowing two runs on seven hits while strikeout six and walking one.

Elena Bennett joined Tanner with two hits each to pace the Mustangs.

Notables

• Midwestern State had its program-best 17-game winning streak snapped with its 1-0 loss to Angelo State. It was the Mustangs first setback since suffering a 12-3 loss to Incarnate Word on April 1.
• Midwestern State senior Katie Petersen had a personal 22-game winning streak snapped against Angelo State. It was her first loss since falling to St. Mary's on Feb. 7, 2010. Two of her three loss this season have come at the hands of the Rambelles.
• Petersen recorded seven strikeouts to go over the 200-mark for the season. She now has 835 for her career and needs 35 more to pass Christina Cearley for the Lone Star Conference all-time lead. Cearley posted 869 from 2003-06.
• Redshirt freshman Courtney Bingham had her 12-game hitting streak snapped when she went 0-for-2 Thursday against Tarleton State. She reached on a hit by pitch and a fielder's choice to score two runs.
• Freshman center fielder Elena Bennett became just the second freshman in program history to amass 60 hits when she reached on an infield safety in the third inning against Tarleton State. Cheyanne Paschal was the other as she set an MSU single-season record with 78 in 2007.
• Freshman shortstop Natalie Rodriguez became the second player in program history to score 50 runs in a season Thursday afternoon against Tarleton. She joins Lindsey Voigt, who scored 57 runs in 2008.
• Midwestern State is now 14-10 in seven Lone Star Conference Tournament appearances. The Mustangs claimed championships in 2006 and 2007.