BROWNWOOD, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team opened conference play against Howard Payne University Friday afternoon in Brownwood, grabbing a pair of wins over the Yellow Jackets. UMHB won the first contest 5-3, then won the second contest 12-6 in extra innings. The Cru opened conference play with a 2-0 record and 3-1 overall. Howard Payne moved to 3-6 on the season and 1-4 in ASC play.
Karley Free got the Cru on the board first in the first game of the doubleheader with an RBI single down the right field line, scoring Cori Drake from second. Howard Payne's Shandi Winstead responded with an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first to even the contest at 1-1. Myranda Hinojosa responded for UMHB in the top of the third with a two RBI single, scoring Free and Tiffany Birdwell. Howard Payne then put together a two-run fourth inning with RBI from Eric McLeod and Winstead to even the game once again. Hinojosa again responded for UMHB, reaching on a throwing error and scoring Free and Amelia Cluke for the 5-3 lead. Karen Tennis earned her first collegiate win in the Cru's victory, pitching the final 1.2 innings of play. Tennis faced seven batters, allowing just two hits and striking out two. Free led the Cru with three hits and added two runs and one RBI. Hinojosa recorded a team-high four RBI on two hits. UMHB totaled five runs on seven hits with one error while the Yellow Jackets had three runs on seven hits with two errors.
Howard Payne took an early 1-0 lead in the second game with a walked-in run. UMHB responded in the top of the fifth when Hannah Parker recorded an RBI fielder's choice to score Kelsey Vann. Leah Brown was next, hitting an RBI single to score Christy Garrett before Free reached on a Yellow Jacket error, scoring Leanne Hinojosa and Janie Neyland. UMHB held the 4-1 lead until the top of the sixth when Emily Marrs and Leah Brown hit RBI doubles, scoring two and giving the Cru a 6-1 lead. Howard Payne responded five runs in the final two innings of play to tie the game at 6-6 and send the contest into extra innings. UMHB used a six-run eighth inning to gain advantage on the Yellow Jackets. Parker scored Vann first off an RBI fielder's choice, followed by a two RBI double from Brown. Neyland then reached on a fielding error to score Brown before CiCi Ramos hit a two RBI double for the 12-6 lead. Howard Payne was not able to respong, giving the Cru the extra-inning victory. Olivia Curtis earned the win for UMHB, pitching the final 2.1 innings. Curtis faced nine batters, giving up one run and one hit. Brown and Free led the Cru with three hits each while Brown had a game-high four RBI. UMHB totaled 12 runs on 12 hits with one error while the Yellow Jackets had six runs on seven hits with six errors.
UMHB returns to action tomorrow in an 11 a.m. match against the Yellow Jackets in Brownwood.
