BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team split the second day of action at the 2023 NCAA Division III Softball Mary Hardin-Baylor Regional. The Cru dropped a 2-1 decision to No. 2 Berry College before beating the University of St. Thomas (Texas) 8-0 to advance to the regional championship.
 
Berry's offense came out swinging in the first inning, totaling three hits. The Vikings quickly loaded the bases but UMHB got out of it, giving up just one run with two swinging strikeouts to limit the damage. Lexi Harris and Lindsey Polleschultz responded with back-to-back singles before Harris scored on a sacrifice fly from Taylor Holman to even the contest at one run each.
 
UMHB's Grason Long threw a shutout frame in the second but the Vikings took another lead in the third off an RBI single from Anna Jackson. Both teams saw additional scoring opportunities but weren't able to score, ending the game in a 2-1 Berry decision.
 
Lexi Harris, Lindsey Polleschultz, Bailey Eggleston and Elissa Elliott all recorded hits for the Cru while Holman had the lone RBI and Harris scored the Cru's run. Grason Long threw a complete seven-inning game for the Cru, giving up two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts. Hannah Gore tossed the win for Berry, throwing seven innings with four hits and one run allowed. UMHB totaled one run on four hits with one error while the Vikings had two runs on eight hits with no errors.
 
UMHB moved to an elimination game, facing University of St. Thomas (TX) for the second time in the regional. Taylor Holman scored on a sacrifice fly from Blakely Niles in the top of the second to give the Cru a lead. Niles struck again in the fourth, hitting a single up the middle to score Taylor Holman and Kylie Green for a 3-0 margin.
 
The Crusader offense exploded for four runs in the fifth to take a seven-run lead. Taylor Henken opened the inning with a walk before advancing to second on a single from Lindsey Polleschultz. Julia Crofut followed that with another single to load the bases before Holman hit-in Henken with a sacrifice fly. Bailey Eggleston brought Crofut and Polleschultz home with a double up the middle before scoring on a single from Blakely Niles. Kaitlin Powers scored one more run in the sixth off an error to give the Cru an eight-run margin.
 
Kami Flores tossed a shutout in the circle, throwing a complete six-inning game with just six hits allowed. Flores faced 24 batters, forcing 11 fly outs and seven ground outs. She threw two perfect frames, allowing just two base runners into scoring position.
 
UMHB advances to the regional championship and will face Berry College at noon on Saturday, May 20th.