ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' softball team split an American Southwest Conference doubleheader with Concordia, winning 9-3 in the first game and falling 5-3 on Saturday afternoon at Ellis Field.

Game 1

Braleigh Middleton put the Cowgirls on the board in the third inning with an RBI single and Christa Garcia also had an RBI single in the inning. Concordia came back in the fourth and tied the game on a Haley Dennett two-run double.

Alexis Vines had an RBI groundout in the fourth for the Cowgirls to retake the lead. Hsu opened the game up with six runs in the fifth inning. Katelyn Joyner had an RBI infield single and Ashley Brown was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Vines and Middleton then had two-run singles later in the inning.

Lexie Allen picked up her first career win in the circle, allowing just two runs on five hits over five innings of work. Lara Ammermann worked the final two innings.

Kati Turner fell to 2-3 on the year as she allowed seven hits and three runs in three and one-third innings. Lauren Camacho and Shelby Burrus worked in relief. Payton Walker had two of the five hits for Concordia.

Garcia and Breanna Greer had three hits each for the Cowgirls and Middleton and Vines drove in three runs each.

Game 2

Joyner had an RBI double for the Cowgirls in the bottom of the second. Concordia answered with a Dennett RBI double, Payton Walker had a squeeze bunt and Summer Harper had a two-run home run to make it 4-1. Concordia added a run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly.

HSU cut the deficit to 5-3 in the sixth inning on a two-run single by Lauren Williams and had the bases loaded but couldn't add to it.

Burrus got the win in the circle for the Tornados, allowing three runs on nine hits. Allen took the loss for HSU to fall to 1-4. She allowed four runs in three innings. Genia Jones allowed one run on four hits in four innings of relief.

Joyner and Greer led the Cowgirls with two hits.

The Cowgirls are now 2-9 on the year and 1-8 in conference play. Concordia improved to 9-4 overall and 6-3 in ASC action. The Cowgirls will play at Ozarks next weekend in ASC action.  

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