PINEVILLE, La. - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team clinched the series over Louisiana College with a 9-1 win over the Wildcats Friday afternoon in Pineville. The win improved the Cru to 24-10 overall and 17-6 in American Southwest Conference action while the Wildcats fell to 16-16 overall and 14-10 in conference play.
 
UMHB came out swinging, putting up four runs in the first inning. Makenzi Dawson opened with a single to left field then scored on an home run from Devon Walter to give the Cru an early two-run lead. Kasi Cummings hit the next RBI for the Cru with a single to left field, scoring Linsey Tomlinson from second base. Whitney Flournoy capped off the inning with an RBI single scoring Kasi Cummings from second base for a 4-0 UMHB lead after the first. UMHB struck again in the second inning with an RBI single from Devon Walter to score Dawson. The Wildcats added a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth inning before UMHB went on another scoring rally in the top of the fifth. Jessica Picou scored on a bases-loaded walk followed by an RBI fielder's choice from Dusti Douglas, scoring Kasi Cummings from third base. Dawson and Emily Bounds both added RBI in that inning, bringing Logan Lowry and Flournoy across the plate to increase the lead to 9-1. The Wildcats failed to score in the bottom of the fifth, giving the Cru a victory by run rule.
 
Kasi Cummings led the Cru with three hits, followed by four Crusaders who each recorded two. Dawson and Kasi Cummings recorded a team-high two runs each while Walter hit in a team-high three RBI. CeCe Darilek earned the win for the Cru, giving up one run in 4.1 innings of work. Savannah Settle took the loss for the Wildcats, giving up five hits and four runs in one inning of work. UMHB totaled nine runs on 13 hits with one error while the Wildcats had one run on seven hits with no errors.
 
UMHB returns to action on Friday, April 20^th with a 2 p.m. doubleheader at home against Howard Payne. The Cru will play its final home game in a 12 p.m. contest against the Yellow Jackets on Saturday, April 21^st at noon.