BELTON, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' Cowgirl softball team dropped the opening game of the American Southwest Conference softball tournament to McMurry 4-2 on Thursday afternoon. The Cowgirls will play an elimination game on Friday at 10 a.m. in Belton against the loser of ETBU and LeTourneau.

The Cowgirls had a slow start and McMurry got up 2-0 in the second inning. The deficit increased to 4-0 for Hardin-Simmons in the fourth.

The Cowgirls got two runs in the fifth to make it 4-2. Ella Salinas and Sarah Diessner had RBIs for HSU in the inning. The Cowgirls mounted a rally in the seventh but were held off the board with the bases loaded to drop 4-2 in the opening round of the ASC tournament.

Haven Williams started and had the loss for Hardin-Simmons with three plus innings thrown. Kylie Ruiz finished for the Cowgirls with two plus innings pitched. Diessner led the Cowgirls with two hits and an RBI.

Hardin-Simmons falls to 26-14 and will move on to the elimination bracket of the ASC tournament with the next game against the loser of the East Texas Baptist and LeTourneau game, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday in Belton.

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