BELTON, Texas - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team earned two wins in a doubleheader against LeTourneau University Saturday afternoon. These wins improve the Cru's season record to 17-7 with a 2-2 mark in conference play, while the YellowJackets fall to 8-16 overall and 0-2 in league play.
Eileigh Whyte opened the game with a perfect first inning, allowing just one base runner in the second. UMHB took a two-run lead in the bottom of the second, scoring
Ava Jolley on a bases-loaded walk earned by
Taylor Henken before
Vic Shimabukuro stole home before the next batter came up, giving the Cru a two-run lead.
Bailey Frenzel opened the third inning with a home run over the right field wall and hit another home run in the fourth, scoring
Tori Skinner for a 5-0 Cru lead.
Eileigh Whyte finished the complete game appearance with three shutout innings, claiming the win in the circle. Whyte finished the game with three hits allowed, striking out four of 25 batters faced.
Lindsey Polleschultz led the Cru with three hits while Frenzel added two with a team-high three RBI. Eight different Crusaders recorded hits while four combined for runs. UMHB totaled five runs on 11 hits while the YellowJackets had three hits with one error.
LeTourneau opened the second game with a two-run first inning before
Lindsey Polleschultz scored in the bottom of that frame off a sacrifice fly from
Tori Skinner. The YellowJackets added one run in the second but the Cru responded again, scoring
Madeline Stephenson off a single from
Jordan Iverson.
Ella Gamblin threw a perfect frame in the third and allowed just one base runner in the fourth. UMHB took a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth, jump-started by three consecutive doubles from
Lindsey Polleschultz,
Taylor Henken, and
Bailey Frenzel.
Tori Skinner followed with a single, later scoring off a two RBI single from
Ryleigh Mills. The YellowJackets responded in the top of the seventh, knotting the game at six off three hits.
Jordan Iverson sealed the victory for the Cru in the bottom of the seventh with a walk-off sacrifice fly that scored
Madeline Stephenson, closing the game at 7-6.
Tori Skinner and
Shorey Nguyen each added two hits on the night, while
Ryleigh Mills and
Jordan Iverson each had a team-high two RBI.
Eileigh Whyte earned the win in the circle for the Crusaders after pitching one complete inning with two strikeouts to seal the win.
Ella Gamblin also pitched four complete innings, allowing just six hits.
Chloee Miller had the start for UMHB pitching two innings with two strikeouts, allowing five hits.
UMHB returns to action in Abilene Friday, April 4
th in a 3:00 PM doubleheader against Hardin-Simmons.
