BELTON, Texas - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team earned a pair of wins over Howard Payne University Thursday evening in Belton. The wins improved the Cru to 20-11 overall and 5-5 in American Southwest Conference action while the YellowJackets fell to 6-24 on the season and 0-10 in league play.
 
Howard Payne took a one-run lead in the top of the first inning. The YellowJackets had a pair of runners in scoring position in the fourth but the Cru limited them to just one run, trailing by two after three and a half frames.
 
UMHB got on the board in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Kylie Hoggatt off an RBI double from Bailey Frenzel and scored Shorey Nguyen off a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
 
The YellowJackets put a runner in scoring position in the top of the eighth but Ella Gamblin ended the inning with a strikeout to get out unscathed. Lindsey Polleschultz got on base with a single in the bottom of the eighth before stealing second and advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt from Kylie Hoggatt. Tori Skinner drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Polleschultz for a 3-2 win.
 
Polleschultz led the Cru with two hits while five other Crusaders each added one. Ella Gamblin earned the win in the circle, throwing 7.2 innings with six hits and just one run allowed. Gamblin also struck out three in her outing and did not allow a walk.
 
UMHB got on the board first in the second inning. Shorey Nguyen singled, stole second then advanced to third on a single from Gabi Vela. Vela stole second to get into scoring position before Madeline Stephenson brought both runners around with an RBI single. UMHB added two more runs off a triple from Tori Skinner and another on a single from Frenzel, taking a 5-0 lead.
 
Howard Payne threatened in the fifth, opening the inning with back-to-back singles and advancing both runners into scoring position. Eileigh Whyte pitched out of the jam, ending the inning with a strikeout and a foul out to keep the YellowJackets scoreless.
 
Ryleigh Mills drove in another run for the Cru in the sixth, scoring Taylor Henken with an RBI single to right field before Bryton Wright slammed a three-RBI home run over the left field wall to seal the 9-0 victory.
 
Shorey Nguyen led the Cru with three hits while Wright added three RBI and Henken scored two runs. Whyte earned the win in the circle, throwing six shutout innings with five strikeouts.
 
UMHB returns to action in a 12 p.m. doubleheader against the YellowJackets tomorrow at Dee Dillon Field in Belton.