WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State erupted for 10 runs in the fifth inning to come away with a 13-5 run-rule win over Tarleton State in Game 1 Friday night at Mustangs Park.
 
The win snapped MSU's three-game skid while clinching no worse than the No. 5 seed in next week's Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament as the Mustangs improved to 26-21 overall while moving to 14-11 in LSC play.
 
Juniors Katy Vandewater and Kelley Schaefer crushed three-run homers to highlight the 10-run uprising as the Mustangs sent 11 batters to the plate before Schaefer's ended it.
 
MSU trailed the TexAnns 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning as TSU starter Randi Fentress permitted just a single run in the first when Kim Jerrick scored a Schaefer's sacrifice fly to right field. It would be the first of five runs driven in by Schaefer in the opener.
 
Tarleton State sent on reliever Brenna Hennan in the bottom fourth who sandwiched a pair of walks around Vandewater's double down the left field to load the bases with no body.
 
It appeared Hennan might wiggle out of the jam as Erin Knox lined into a double play, but Jerrick pulled the Mustangs two runs closer with a double to the left field gap to make it 5-3 through four innings.
 
MSU really cranked up the offense in the fifth.
 
Sophomore Katelyn Vinson drew a walk to lead off the inning, stole second and reached third base on a passed ball before coming into score on Schaefer RBI-single up the middle. Sophomore Shelby Carter reached on a fielder's choice on a mishandled double play attempt to set up Vandewater's three-run blast over the center field fence to give MSU its first lead of the game at 7-5.
 
The next four Mustangs would reach base including run-scoring singles by Haley Howerton and Vinson before Schaefer delivered the game's final blow.
 
Vandewater paced the Mustangs' 12-hit attack by going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs, while Jerrick, Howerton, Schaefer and Knox all had two hits each.
 
Knox also claimed the win in the circle to improve to 11-5 on the season. She allowed four earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in five innings.
 
Hennan took the loss for the TexAnns to drop to 10-12 on the season. She permitted seven earned runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings with four walks.