MARSHALL, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team split a Thursday doubleheader with Eastern Connecticut State University, earning a 6-2 win over the Warriors before inclement weather prevailed, taking away the Cru's seventh-inning lead and deciding a 5-3 loss in game two.
Izzy Gutierrez opened the first game with a two-RBI double, scoring Elissa Elliott and Lexi Harris for a 2-0 UMHB lead. Taylor Henken tacked on one more run later in the inning, scoring off a wild pitch. Eastern Connecticut State added solo frames in the first and third innings to cut the gap to one run before Blakely Niles scored Bailey Eggleston with a sacrifice fly in the fourth to extend the margin to two. UMHB put up single-run frames in the sixth and seventh innings to take a 6-2 lead. Bailey Eggleston hit a sacrifice fly to score Malyn Simmons in the sixth before Gutierrez hit in Kaitlin Powers in the seventh. The Warriors put two base runners on in the bottom of the seventh but UMHB's defense got out of the inning to preserve the 6-2 win.
Elissa Elliott and Izzy Gutierrez led the Cru with two hits each while UMHB totaled six in the contest. Six different Crusaders combined for runs while Gutierrez led the team with three RBI. Grason Long opened the game in the circle, throwing two innings with three hits and two runs allowed. Kami Flores followed that with five shutout innings, allowing just five hits with four strikeouts.
The Warriors took an early lead in the second game with a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. UMHB responded in the fourth inning when Elissa Elliott scored on an RBI from Bryton Wright. Bailey Eggleston followed that, scoring off an RBI single from Lexi Harris to put the Cru up 2-1. The Warriors responded with the equalizer in the bottom of that frame before Taylor Henken added one more for the Cru in the sixth inning. Eastern Connecticut State added a trio of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take 5-2 lead. UMHB's offense exploded in the next frame, scoring five runs off three hits. Tori Skinner scored on a RBI single from Elissa Elliott before Eliott scored on an RBI single from Gutierrez. Gutierrez scored the go-ahead run off an RBI single from Eggleston before Kaitlin Powers and Eggleston both scored off wild pitches for an 8-5 UMHB lead. Due to inclement weather, the game was called and the sixth-inning score held, handing the Cru a 5-3 loss.
UMHB returns to action on Friday, March 17th in a 12 p.m. doubleheader against SUNY Oneonta in Marshall.
