ABILENE, Texas — Hardin-Simmons' softball team split a doubleheader with Howard Payne winning 2-0 and losing 10-9 in nine innings in American Southwest Conference action at Ellis Field on Saturday afternoon. 

Megann Lewis pitched her fifth shutout of the season as she allowed six hits and struck out 11 in the game to improve to 10-5. Ballie Trumble took the loss, allowing a run in four innings.

Jodi Hierholzer had two hits and Blair Wallace and Kelesy Evans had RBIs for HSU. HPU leadoff hitter Elizabeth Alvarado had four of the six Jacket hits. 

HSU scored a single run in the third on a sacrifice fly by Wallace to drive in Hierholzer. In the fifth Evans had a sacrifice fly to scored Hierholzer who had singled and stole second and third base.

The second game was a slugfest. HSU scored a pair of runs in the first on a Mac Clay RBI single and another run on a wild pitch. 

Caraway homered to lead off the second for HPU and she had a sac fly to tie the game in the third. HPU took a 5-2 lead in the fourth on an RBI single by Johnnson and two more runs scored on errors. The two teams combined for 10 errors in the game.  

HSU retook the lead in the fifth with four runs. Wallace had an RBI double, Namey had an RBI single, Clay added an RBI double and Shelby McIntyre had an RBI single. Silva tied the game in the sixth with a solo home run.

In the sixth, HSU scored three times to take a 9-6 lead. Clay had a two-run double and McIntyre had an RBI double. HPU rallied to tie the game in the seventh. Zarate had a two-run home run to make it 9-8 and with two outs Middleton hit a solo shot to tie the game. 

Zarate hit her second home run in the ninth inning to give the Jackets the lead at 10-9.

Clay had three hits and drove in four for HSU. Zarate had three RBIs and two home runs for HPU. 

Sarah Shurbet went six and one-third innings and allowed eight runs (four earned) and Leslie Henderson allowed one run in relief. Lewis took the loss in relief allowing one run in an inning and two-thirds of work. Caraway worked eight and two-third innings to earn the win.

HSU is now 19-13 on the season and 13-3 in ASC West action. HPU is 12-20 overall and 10-8 in league play. HSU trails UMHB by two games in the ASC West and the two play a four-game set in Belton next weekend. 

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