LONGVIEW, Texas — Hardin-Simmons' softball team split a pair of one-run games on Saturday afternoon at LeTourneau winning the first game 4-3 and falling 10-9 in the nightcap.

The Cowgirls rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the first game. LeTourneau strung together three hits and used an HSU error to score two runs in the third inning.

HSU tied the game in the fifth inning when Laine Strickland singled to lead off the inning and Amy Meyer walked. They moved up on a wild pitch and Mac Clay walked to load the bases. Blair Wallace singled through the left side to score Strickland and then Taylor Namey walked with the bases loaded to tie the game.

In the seventh inning, Namey led off with a single and Brittany Acosta singled. Carley Willis followed with an RBI double to make it 3-2.

Wallace went the distance in the circle to improve to 2-0. She struck out seven batters and scattered seven hits while allowing only one earned run. Kelli Parton took the loss in relief. Strickland and Willis each had two hits for the Cowgirls.

In the nightcap, HSU's late rally fell just short. HSU jumped to a 6-2 lead after three innings, but LeTourneau scored five runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth. HSU scored three times in the seventh

Sarah Shurbet (0-2) took the loss for the Cowgirls allowing seven runs (four earned) in four and one-third innings of work. Acosta saw her first action in the circle as a Cowgirl and allowed three runs in an inning and two-thirds of work.  

Taylor Thibodeaux worked five innings of relief for LeTourneau to earn the win. She allowed five runs (two earned).

Willis led the Cowgirl eight-hit attack with two hits. Bailey Watkins and Clay each drove in two runs.

HSU scored two runs in the first on a Wallace RBI double and Namey had an RBI single to right. LeTourneau answered with a run on an RBI groundout by Sara Whitehead. Mac Clay had a two-run double for the Cowgirls in the second inning. Whitehead had an RBI single in the second inning for LeTourneau.

Watkins had a two-run homer for the Cowgirls in the third inning to make it 6-2. LeTourneau had five hits in the fifth and an HSU error contributed to a five-run inning. Robin Waggoner had a two-run home run.

LeTourneau received a three-run home run by Christin Mickelboro in the sixth inning.

In the seventh Wallace reached on an error and move to second on a Namey groundout. Willis singled and Wallace scored on a Shelby McIntyre single. With two outs, Strickland had an RBI single and Kelsey Evans reached on an error scoring McIntyre. Strickland was the tying run at third but Meyer grounded out to end the threat.

HSU is now 2-2 on the year and LeTourneau is 1-1 on the young campaign. HSU plays at the ASC First Pitch Tournament this coming weekend.

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