BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team made history Saturday, winning the program's first American Southwest Conference regular-season championship with a 6-2 victory over Concordia University Texas. The win improved the Cru to 29-10 on the season and 22-4 in ASC action while the Tornados fell to 19-20 overall and 10-17 in league play.
 
UMHB scored a trio runs in the first frame to grab an early lead on the Tornados. Lexi Harris opened the game with a triple to centerfield then scored on a double steal with Lindsey Polleschultz. Bailey Eggleston hit in Polleschultz with a single to extend the gap to two runs before Elissa Elliott scored Blakely Niles with a single for the Cru's third run. The Tornados had runners in scoring position in the top of the second but pitcher Grason Long executed a double-play with third baseman Allyse Castillo to get out of the jam.
 
Taylor Henken scored another run for UMHB in the bottom of the third inning, reaching on a single from Julia Crofut. The Cru added two more runs in the fifth when Bryton Wright brought home Niles and Taylor Holman with anothe single. Concordia Texas scored two runs in the sixth inning and had the bases loaded but a double-play got the Cru out of the frame without any more damage allowed. UMHB held on defensively, securing the 6-2 win in the top of the seventh.
 
Lindsey Polleschultz and Blakely Niles led the Cru with three hits each while Wright had a team-high two RBI and six different Crusaders scored runs. Grason Long earned the win in the circle, throwing 6.2 innings with four hits allowed while Kami Flores also made an appearance.
 
UMHB earned the program's first ASC regular-season championship and the right to host the 2023 ASC Softball Championship Tournament. The tournament will run May 11^th – 14^th at Dee Dillon Field in Belton. For more information about the tournament, visit www.cruathletics.com and www.ascsports.org.