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Box Score 2 ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' softball team won two games in a doubleheader against the Southwestern Pirates on Friday afternoon at Ellis Field in HSU's home opener, winning 6-5 and 5-0.
The Cowgirls clutched in game one with a walk-off hit from senior Audrey Solomon in the bottom of the seventh inning to win 6-5.
Hardin-Simmons opened a 3-0 lead in the fourth with a two RBI triple from Lindsey Ratcliffe. Haven Williams later drove in Ratcliffe for the third Cowgirl run.
The Pirates had a loud two runs to scratch back into the game with a homerun from Kathryn Dull in the sixth to make it 3-2 HSU. The Cowgirl came right back with two runs of their own, scoring on a wild pitch and an Ella Salinas RBI to make it 5-2 after six.
Southwestern mounted a rally and tied the game at 5-5 in the seventh inning to give the Cowgirls a walk-off opportunity. Madi Hubbard led off with a single and scored the winning run on the Solomon double to win the game 6-5 for Hardin-Simmons.
The Cowgirls had 11 hits to five for Southwestern in game one, Ratcliffe, Brittanie Henry, and Sarah Diessner each with two. Hardin-Simmons also had seven steals in the game, Grace Thompson with two.
Williams started pitching and threw four and two-thirds with two hits and a strikeout. Aubrianna Salazar came in for the win and had two strikeouts in over two innings.
Game two showed much less theatrics from the Cowgirls and got straight to business with just four hits allowed from Kaylen Washington as a starter. She threw five innings and had six strikeouts.
The Cowgirls got the wrong end of the stick early to cost them a chance at a run in the fifth, but with the sixth inning came the Cowgirl scores.
Madison Mayhew doubled with the bases loaded to break it open and freshman Abbey Tarr pinch hit and smoked a ball down the line in left for two RBIs to make it a 5-0 game.
Kylie Ruiz entered to pitch and received the Cowgirl offense late to get the win. She threw two scoreless innings behind Washington's four-hit day to complete the shutout.
The Cowgirls win both and go to 2-0 on the season and will host the Trinity Tigers on Saturday for two games beginning at noon at Ellis Field.
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