CLEVELAND, Miss. – Hardin-Simmons' Cowgirl softball team finished up the 2022 season at the ASC tournament semifinal against the Belhaven Blazers after defeating the UMHB Cru earlier in the day.

The Cowgirls played Mary Hardin-Baylor in the first game of the day on Saturday for a spot in the semifinal.

The Cru took a 1-0 lead early in the third inning over Hardin-Simmons. Aubrianna Salazar drove in the tying run in the fifth inning with a single and Peyton Newman hit an RBI to take the lead 2-1 for the Cowgirls in the sixth.

Sarah Polanco and Mason McCord both drove in a run in the seventh to make it a 4-1 HSU lead, and the Cowgirl defense held off the UMHB comeback in the final inning winning 4-2.

Salazar pitched three strikeouts in six innings of two-hit softball with just two runs in the win. Haven Williams came in for the save in the final inning.

Polanco, McCord, and Salazar all had two hits for the Cowgirls. Newman and Haley Henson added a hit each as well. Polanco, McCord, Newman, and Salazar had the four RBIs for Hardin-Simmons.

The Cowgirls advanced to the ASC tournament semifinal Saturday afternoon against the top-ranked Belhaven Blazers.

Belhaven got out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first, but the Cowgirls fought back with two in the third.

McCord legged out a bunt single, and Polanco scored on a bad throw. Newman drove in the second Cowgirl run later in the third to make it 3-2 Blazers.

Belhaven would crank out three more in the contest before senior Hessert hit a solo homerun in the fifth, her ninth of the season to make it a 6-3 ballgame, which would be the final score and the close to another Cowgirl softball season.

Hessert went out leading the Cowgirls with two hits and an RBI on the homerun. Newman had the other Cowgirl RBI on the day. Polanco, McCord, Salazar, Sarah Diessner, Kaylen Washington, and Henson each had a knock for HSU in the game as well.

Williams started and Washington came in to throw four strikeouts in over three, while Salazar finished with three Ks in a pair of innings to close it out.

The Cowgirls made it to the semifinal game of the ASC tournament for another year, finishing with a record of 29-15. This was the final game for four Cowgirls, graduate seniors Peyton Newman and Mason McCord, senior Karis Hessert, and Sarah Polanco who will graduate next December. We want to thank these players for their efforts at Hardin-Simmons and look forward to seeing them when they visit their Cowgirl Softball family in the future.

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