TUCSON, Ariz. – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team earned two more wins at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Leadoff Classic Saturday in Tucson. UMHB opened with a 13-10 win over Pacific Lutheran University before taking a 9-1 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The wins improved the Cru to 12-2 on the season.
UMHB opened the day with a win over Pacific Lutheran. UMHB took a lead in the top of the first inning when
Lexi Harris scored on an RBI from
Milly Cesare and
Korbyn Bassett scored on an RBI single from
Izzy Gutierrez. PLU added a solo run in the bottom of that frame to cut UMHB's lead to two. Scoring resumed in the third inning with UMHB scoring three runs off RBI hits from Gutierrez,
Avery Kelly and
Whitney Flournoy. Pacific Lutheran tied the contest with three runs in the bottom of that frame. Gutierrez doubled in the top of the fourth for two more UMHB runs before the Lutes took their first lead of the contest with a three-run performance in the bottom of the fourth. The Cru added two more runs in the fifth, three in the sixth and one in the seventh. The Lutes scored just two more in the seventh, giving UMHB the 13-10 win. Harris and Gutierrez led the Cru with four hits while Bassett and Kelly each added three. Bassett led UMHB with three runs, followed by Gutierrez and Flournoy with two.
Camryn Rucker earned the win in the circle for the Cru, pitching four innings with four hits and two runs allowed.
Kami Flores and
Jules Martinez also threw for the Cru. Flores went 0.2 innings with three hits and three runs allowed while Martinez earned the start, pitching 2.1 innings with five hits and five runs allowed. UMHB totaled 13 run on 20 hits with three errors while the Lutes had 10 runs on 12 hits with one error.
UMHB's offense exploded in the second contest against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The Cru jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI fielder's choice from
Hannah Wolfe and a two-RBI single from
Elissa Elliott. UMHB added five more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Whitney Flournoy and
Milly Cesare both hit RBI triples while
Korbyn Bassett had an RBI double and
Ashley Estrada hit an RBI single. CMS scored their first run of the contest in the top of the fifth inning, but UMHB sealed the win in the bottom of that frame when Elliott scored on an error. Elliott,
Bailey Stoker and Estrada led the Cru with two hits each while Cesare and Elliott each recorded two-RBI.
Bayleigh Grogan earned the win in the circle for UMHB, pitching a complete five innings with six hits and one run allowed. Grogan struck out five batters and walked just one. Heather Shipley took the loss for CMS. Shipley threw 3.1 innings with seven hits and six runs allowed.
UMHB returns to action on Sunday, March 8
th in a 9 a.m. (MT) contest against Washington University – St Louis. UMHB closes the classic with a 1 p.m. (MT) game against Central College. The Cru returns home March 13
th – 14
th with an American Southwest Conference series against LeTourneau University at Dee Dillon Field in Belton.