ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' softball team dropped the first two games of a three-game American Southwest Conference series against the Belhaven Blazers on Friday night in Abilene, losing 7-5 and 6-0.

The Cowgirls led after the first inning of game one with a Kaylen Washington RBI, making it 1-0. The Blazers scored four on a grand slam by Allie Gordon in the third making it 4-1 Belhaven.

The Cowgirls scored two in the third and two in the fourth to make it 5-4 Cowgirls. Belhaven's May Hebert hit a three-run homer in the sixth to get the 7-5 lead that would hold for the win.

Peyton Newman led the Cowgirls game one with two hits and two RBIs. Gordon had four RBIs on the grand slam and Hebert had three with the homerun for Belhaven.

Washington started for the Cowgirls and threw two plus innings with a pair of strikeouts. Haven Williams finished and had the loss with three strikeouts. Bailey Root started for Belhaven and Dallas Baker and Hannah Finley also threw, Finley with the win late.

Game two was a dominant pitching performance from Belhaven's Kassie Shipley who threw six strikeouts and allowed eight hits in the shutout win.

Marlee Blackwell led off the game with a homer and the Blazers added five more runs in the next few innings to make it a 6-0 win over the Cowgirls.

Newman had two more hits in game two for the Cowgirls. Three Blazers had two hits in game two.

Brookelyn Casper started game two and threw a couple of innings before Christina Blevins entered the game. Jamie Franks came in before Casper returned in the final inning, ending with two strikeouts and the loss.

The Cowgirls drop to 8-9 and 5-3 in the ASC while Belhaven improves to 8-3 and 6-2 on the year. The teams return to action for game three of the series tomorrow at noon at Ellis Field.

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