BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team opened the 2023 NCAA Division III Softball Championship Tournament with a 2-0 win in the Mary Hardin-Baylor Regional opener Thursday afternoon in Belton. 

Grason Long opened the game with a pair of perfect innings defensively and pitched a shutout in the third frame to keep the scoreless tie. Lexi Harris reached on an error to open the third inning before Lindsey Polleschultz moved her over with a single. Izzy Gutierrez scored Harris with an RBI one batter later to give the Cru a one-run lead. 

Long allowed just one base runner in the top of the fourth before UMHB added another run in the bottom of that frame. Julia Crofut got on base with a hit-by-pitch before Harris advanced her with a single up the middle. Lindsey Polleschultz hit a single in the next at-bat to bring Crofut home for a 2-0 margin. Allyse Castillo anchored a double play in the fifth inning to eliminate the Celts' threat before Long followed with two more scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh to advance UMHB to the regional semifinal with a 2-0 win. 

Grason Long threw a complete seven-inning game with just three hits allowed. Long faced 25 batters, forcing 15 fly outs and five ground outs in the shutout. Lindsey Polleschultz led UMHB's offense going 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI. Izzy Gutierrez added another RBI while Lexi Harris and Julia Crofut each recorded runs. UMHB totaled two runs on eight hits with no errors while the Celts had three hits and two errors. 

UMHB advances to the regional semifinal on Friday, May 19th at 12 p.m. St. Thomas moves to the elimination bracket and will play on Friday at 2:30 p.m. UMHB improved to 33-12 on the season while the Celts moved to 32-9.