Dakota Stotyn got the win in the circle for the Tyler Junior College Apache Ladies on Wednesday. Stotyn is a freshman from Bennett, Colo.

The Apache Ladies are headed back to Utah.

Tanjala Smith’s two-RBI single in the fourth inning broke a 3-3 tie as No. 5 Tyler Junior College defeated Angelina College 5-3 on Wednesday in the semifinals of the Region XIV Softball Tournament, clinching TJC’s fourth straight trip to the national tournament. 

The victory moved Tyler (56-17) into the regional championship, which is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Thursday. Region XIV receives two bids to the NJCAA Division I National Softball Tournament, which is scheduled for May 22-25 in St. George, Utah. Angelina and San Jacinto-South will play at noon Thursday for the second berth. The winner between AC and San Jac will face TJC in the regional championship.

In Wednesday’s game, TJC fell behind 1-0 when AC’s Brette Kohring’s fielder’s choice grounder scored Nikki Whitehead. 

Tyler then plated three runs in the top of the second for a 3-1 lead as Jazmine Dodd had a two-RBI single and Brecklyn Dennis provided an RBI single.

But the Lady Roadrunners bounced back to knot the game at 3-3 in their bottom half of the second. Rachel Angello doubled and came home on Whitehead’s RBI single. Whitehead then scored on a basehit by Kaylee Ancelot.

In the fourth TJC took the lead for good on Smith’s two-RBI single that scored Kaycee Parker and Dodd.

Dakota Stotyn (21-2) got the win in relief, going six innings and allowing seven hits but no runs. She struck out one and walked three. Audrey Pickett started the game and lasted one inning as she allowed four hits and three runs, two of which were earned. She struck out one and walked one.

Dodd had two hits for TJC as did Smith. Brooke Makemson, Sloane Johnson and Parker added singles.

Angelio had three hits for AC with Tristin Anders, Ancelot and Makayla Rodger added two hits each.

TJC 10, SAN JACINTO-SOUTH 0

Abbie Dart was throwing darts on Tuesday as the No. 5 Apache Ladies blanked San Jacinto-South 10-0 on Tuesday. 

Dart (16-1) allowed four hits in the circle while striking out one and walking two.

Makemson belted two home runs to lead TJC. She had six RBIs, along with a single. Maleah Olvera had a double and two singles with Dennis adding two singles.

Others with hits were Jazmine Dodd and Allie White.

Olvera had two RBIs with Dennis and Destinee Dixon each knocking in a run.

Makemson, who had a two-run homer in the third and a three-run homer in the fifth, scored three runs with Dodd and Dennis scoring two each. White, Olvera and Johnson each crossed the plate once.

The Lady Coyotes had four singles — one each from Samantha Martinez, Dominique Garcia, Ariana Saenz and Lacey Gabaldon.