Waxahachie, TX | April 25, 2026 — With postseason stakes on the line and Senior Day energy in the air, the Nelson Lady Lions delivered a gritty response, splitting Saturday's doubleheader with Texas Wesleyan and locking in the No. 8 seed in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.
Game 3
Nelson flipped the script in game one of the day, leaning on toughness in the circle and timely execution to secure a 2-1 victory.
After four scoreless innings, the Lady Lions broke through in the fifth. Morgan Womack sparked the rally with a double, and Marcella Bryan followed with a sacrifice RBI to open the scoring. Moments later, Layla Oliver delivered the decisive swing, driving in a run to give Nelson a 2-0 edge .
In the circle, Braylei Pylant was in full control. The right-hander went the distance, scattering six hits and allowing just one run while keeping Texas Wesleyan off balance all afternoon . Even as the Rams scratched across a run in the sixth, Pylant shut the door late, securing the Lady Lions' first win of the series.
Game 4
The finale delivered drama.
Texas Wesleyan jumped out early, plating three runs across the first two innings, forcing Nelson to play from behind. But the Lady Lions never folded.
In the third, Parker Kittrell drove in a run to get Nelson on the board, and the fight continued into the sixth. With runners on, Layla Oliver came through again, knocking in a run to cut the deficit to 3-2 .
Nelson outhit Texas Wesleyan 11-10, consistently putting pressure on the Rams' defense and threatening throughout the game . The tying run came within reach late, but the final push fell just short as Texas Wesleyan escaped with the one-run win.
More than just a split, Saturday meant something bigger.
With the win in Game 3 and a competitive finish in Game 4, the Lady Lions officially secured the No. 8 seed in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament, punching their ticket to postseason play.
Now, it's survive and advance season.
Nelson University (formerly SA GU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.
