LAKE WALES, Fla. — The Thomas University softball team got back on track Tuesday night, holding off the Royals from Warner University in nail-biter fashion down in Lake Wales. 

The 2-1 win marked the second-ever victory over Warner in Lake Wales as the Night Hawks had lost its previous nine contests at Daly Field. 

The Royals (21-19, 9-10 SUN) took an early lead in the second, as a walk with the bases loaded gave Warner the initial 1-0 lead. 

Thomas (21-17, 8-11 SUN) then responded in the top of the third, after an Averie Sheppard RBI advanced Michaela Farr in for the score. 

Solid pitching both ways kept the game in a stalemate, with both starting pitchers (Larran Carter for TU and Tiffany Dodson for WU), pitching the entire game. Dodson's seven inning six hit performance was narrowly outdone by Carter's full-game, with the senior allowing just four hits with the one earned run. 

TU's final run of the contest came in the top of the seventh, as a Tiana Villagomez single put the go ahead run on first. Chauntivia Cliatt then replaced the junior, stealing second. A passed ball then advanced Cliatt to third before Michaela Farr sent a sacrifice fly into left field, scoring the go-ahead run, 2-1. 

The bottom of the seventh saw three straight fly outs, as Carter forced the first two batter's into foul territory before the final out of the ballgame was an Averie Sheppard catch in left field. 

With the 2-1 win,  Thomas begins to claw back into the playoff picture, with the series scheduled to resume on Wednesday. 

The doubleheader's set to begin at 1 p.m. with game two following. Listed below are the links to follow along. 

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For up-to-date information on Thomas University Softball and other TU Athletics, visit www.TUNightHawks.com.  Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, and feature stories of your TU Softball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawksSoftb.