TYLER, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor fought through extra innings Saturday afternoon in Tyler, but dropped a 2-1 decision to Louisiana College, ending UMHB's play in the 2016 American Southwest Conference Softball Championship Tournament. The ended the Cru's season at 20-21 while Louisiana College advances with an 18-22 season record.
 
Cori Drake opened scoring for the Cru with a bases-loaded single for UMHB, scoring Kourtney Cummings for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Alyssa Ross evened the score in the bottom of the first inning, scoring off an error to put Louisiana College on the board with a 1-1 tie. Neither team was able to score again until the bottom of the ninth inning when Jayde Westbrook hit an RBI fielder's choice, advancing Ellen Bairnsfather safely to home for the 2-1 Wildcat victory. Drake led the Cru with two hits while four other Crusaders added one. Haley Parker pitched the complete game for UMHB, going 8.2 innings with five hits and two runs allowed. Savannah Settle earned the win for Louisiana College, pitching nine innings with six hits and six strikeouts. UMHB totaled one run on six hits with one error while the Wildcats had two runs on five hits.
 
UMHB earned its 15^th consecutive winning season and advanced to the conference tournament for the fifth consecutive time. The Cru ended the 2016 season with a .308 batting average, scoring 200 runs on 344 hits with new Division III era school-record 35 home runs. UMHB's pitching staff recorded 101 strikeouts with a season ERA of 4.18.  The Cru graduates three seniors in outfielder Kourtney Bevers, utility player Hannah Parker and infielder Emily Marrs.
 
Louisiana College will advance to face U.T.-Dallas at 8:30 p.m. The winner of that match will advance to face the winner of U.T.-Tyler and East Texas Baptist. The tournament championship will be played on Sunday, May 1^st at 2 p.m. with the winner earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships.