ABILENE, Texas — Hardin-Simmons' softball team split an American Southwest Conference doubleheader with Howard Payne winning the first game 3-2 in eight innings in the first game, before falling 7-3 in the nightcap on Friday afternoon at Ellis Field. 

In the first game, HSU took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on an RBI single by Jodi Hierholzer and an RBI double by Amy Meyer. HPU scored its two runs in the fifth on a two-run home run by Brittany Johnson.

The Cowgirls won the game in the eighth when Amy Meyer led off with a double and she scored on a Blair Wallace double for the walkoff win.

Elizabeth Alvarado, Brittany Johnson and Haleigh Caraway each had two hits for Howard Payne and Meyer and Evans had two each for the Cowgirls.

Megann Lewis went the distance for HSU as she scattered eight hits and struck out 11  to move to 9-5 on the year. She allowed just two runs in the game. Janna Allen took the loss in relief for HPU.

In the second game, each team scored a pair of runs in the first. Caraway had a two-run double for HPU and Wallace had a two-run double for HSU.

Ashley Silva had a three-run home run in the fourth inning for HPU and Kimble Luna had an RBI single in the fifth and Caraway had an RBI single in the sixth to make it 7-2.

HSU scored a run in the seventh on an RBI double by Kelsey Evans.

Sarah Shurbet (6-6) took the loss for the Cowgirls as she allowed five runs on nine hits. Leslie Henderson and Katelyn Curry each pitched in relief for HSU. Haleigh Caraway allowed just one earned run in four innings of work to earn the win.

Wallace had three hits for the Cowgirls and Mac Clay, Amy Meyer and Taylor Namey each had two hits. Caraway helped her cause with four hits and Silva added three for HPU.

The Cowgirls are now 18-12 on the year and 12-2 in ASC West action. Howard Payne is 11-19 overall and 9-7 in ASC action. The teams will play a noon doubleheader on Saturday.  

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