SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team split a Friday doubleheader with the University of Rochester on the campus of Trinity University in San Antonio. The Cru moved to 12-4 on the day while the Yellowjackets went to 4-8.
Rochester opened the game with a single-run first inning but Eileigh Whyte pitched perfect frames in the second and third to hold the gap at one. UMHB finally answered in the fourth, scoring five runs. Tori Skinner singled up the middle then stole second and scored on an RBI double from Vic Shimabukuro. Shimabukuro stole third during the next at-bat and scored on a double from Madeline Stephenson. Kylie Hoggatt followed that with another double, scoring Stephenson before Taylor Henken added another RBI double, scoring Hoggatt.
Shorey Nguyen drove in another run to score Henken for a 5-0 run after the first four innings. Whyte gave up just one hit in the fifth and sixth innings while the Cru tacked on one more run when Shorey Nguyen stole home, improving the margin to five runs. UMHB held the Yellowjackets scoreless in the seventh to keep the 6-1 win.
Nguyen and Henken led the Cru with two hits each while six different Crusaders each added runs and five recorded an RBI. Whyte earned the complete-game win in the circle, giving up just four hits and one run in 24 batters faced. UMHB totaled six runs on 11 hits while the Yellowjackets had one run on four hits with two errors.
Rochester opened the second game with another one-run first. UMHB evened the game in the third when Stephenson scored off an RBI single up the middle from Lindsey Polleschultz. The Yellowjackets answered in the bottom of the frame with a single homerun to get back on top. Rochester extended that lead with four runs in the fifth and one in the sixth for a 7-1 lead. UMHB got a runner on in the seventh but wasn't able to bring anyone around, surrendering the 7-1 loss to the Yellowjackets.
Lindsey Polleschultz and Victoria Shimabukuro led the Cru with two hits each while five other Crusaders each added one. Chloee Miller took the loss for UMHB, pitching two innings with five hits and two runs allowed. Bryton Wright and Ella Gamblin threw in relief, giving up a combined seven hits and five runs. UMHB totaled one run on nine hits with one error while the Yellowjackets had seven runs on 12 hits with one error.
UMHB returns to action in a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday, March 18th at Concordia University Texas in Austin.
