SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' Cowgirl softball team split a doubleheader at the Trinity Tigers on Friday night, dropping game one 3-2 in eight innings and winning game two 4-3 on the road.
The Cowgirls were down 2-0 in game one until the fifth inning where HSU tied the game at 2-2.
Lindsey Ratcliffe led off with a double and came around to score on an
Erin Love single.
Ashley Easley got an RBI to tie the game with a single to center. Unfortunately, the Cowgirls couldn't plate another run in the fifth with a man on third and one out.
In the seventh inning,
Kristen McMillan walked to start and got moved along and later stole third, but the Cowgirls went down on strikes and left the winning run on third.
The Tigers got two more strikeouts in the eighth with the Cowgirls starting with a runner on second per extra inning rules to keep the game 2-2. Trinity scored in the bottom of eight to win 3-2. Tiger starter Jordan Arce threw six Ks and allowed just four hits in the win.
Haven Williams pitched a fine outing in game one with 7.1 innings and three strikeouts on six hits and one earned run. Three Cowgirl errors and a handful of runners left on base in scoring position could easily have netted the Cowgirls a win.
The Cowgirls stole five bases in game one, two from McMillan, and one each from
Haley Henson,
Ava Dennis, and
Jorey Hood.
The Cowgirls fought out of a familiar hole in game two at Trinity, down 3-0 in the fourth. Easley tripled and Ratcliffe drove her in with a sac fly to make it 3-1 Tigers.
The Cowgirls scored three runs to eventually seal the game in the sixth inning. Easley had an RBI-single and the Cowgirls scored on a wild pitch.
Madison Mayhew drove in Easley with a single to take the lead in the sixth inning 4-3.
Easley had two hits with the triple to lead the Cowgirls.
Madi Hubbard hit a double and the Cowgirls stole four more bases in game two, two from Henson and one from
Addyson Kahklen and
Emily Jacobs.
Freshman
Jorey Hood started pitching for the Cowgirls and went 2.2 innings and had three strikeouts, only really giving up a pair of doubles that led to the three Trinity runs.
Kylie Ruiz came in for three innings and collected the win with the late run support with just two hits and a strikeout.
Aubrianna Salazar got her first save of the year in the final inning with no hits and a strikeout.
The Cowgirls go to 5-1 on the year and will travel to Georgetown to take on the Southwestern Pirates Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
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