ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' softball team split an American Southwest Conference doubleheader with Howard Payne on Thursday afternoon at Ellis Field, falling 5-4 in the first game before rallying for a 2-1 win in nine innings in the nightcap.
Game 1
The Cowgirls scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Christa Garcia had an RBI single and a second run scored on a throwing error.
Howard Payne scored a run on a wild pitch in the fourth and Celina Ortiz had a three-run home run in the fifth to make it 4-2. The Jackets made it 5-2 in the sixth when
Lauren Williams' pickoff throw was wide of first allowing a run to score.
Kara LeLeux had a two-run home run in the sixth inning to narrow the deficit to 5-4. The home run came after she had fouled off five straight two-strike pitches.
Tori Rodriguez allowed three earned runs in seven innings of work for the Cowgirls to fall to 7-7. Celese Tirres allowed three earned runs on six hits in seven innings to earn the win.
Sydnie Darden had two of the six HSU hits. Celina Ortiz and Gaby Muniz had two hits each for Howard Payne.
Game 2
Lara Ammermann allowed just one run over nine innings of work and the Cowgirls rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh and won it in the ninth.
Ammermann improved to 4-3, scattering eight hits and striking out seven. Tirres allowed one earned run in eight-plus innings of work. She allowed seven hits and struck out three.
Celina Ortiz had an RBI double for Howard Payne in the third inning to give the Jackets a 1-0 lead. It stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the seventh when
Sarah Truelove was hit by a pitch and LeLeux put down a perfect bunt that was thrown away that allowed Truelove to come around and score.
In the ninth, Truelove led off with a triple and scored when LeLeux smashed the next pitch through the left side for the game-winning hit.
Darden had four hits for the Cowgirls and Truelove added two. Darden also became the school's all-time leader in stolen bases with five on the day. She now has 54 on her career.
HSU is now 13-11 on the year and 9-11 in league play. Howard Payne is 11-14 overall and 8-12 in conference action. The teams will decide the series on Friday with a single game at noon.
