ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' Cowgirl softball team won a wild contest in the third game against LeTourneau on Saturday for the final game at Ellis Field on Cowgirl Senior Day.
 
Hardin-Simmons took the rubber match 8-5 with nine hits and two errors while the Yellowjackets had 15 hits and three errors in the game.
 
The Cowgirls honored three senior players, Ashley Easley, Aubrianna Salazar, and Haven Williams as well as graduate assistant Jocelyn Gonzalez before the game.
 
Hardin-Simmons had to fight to keep the Yellowjackets off the board early. Minely Avila threw out a runner on a back pick at third and caught another stealing to end the first inning.
 
HSU got another LeTourneau runner caught on a double steal play at home coming back in from Easley on the cut in the third inning.
 
The Cowgirls scored first in the third inning on an error and Ella Salinas drove in another Cowgirl run to lead 2-0. LeTourneau tied the game at 2-2 in the following fourth inning.
 
Hardin-Simmons pieced together five runs in the fourth to take the lead. Lindsey Ratcliffe drove in the first with a shot single off the first baseman and Jazzy Cantu doubled home another run.
 
Haley Henson singled on a suicide squeeze play for an RBI and Salinas doubled home two runs to make it a 7-2 ball game after four innings.
 
Avila had an RBI-single in the fifth to extend the Cowgirl lead to 8-2 and LeTourneau made it a tight game with three runs in the sixth.
 
The Cowgirl defense held in the final moments after the Yellowjackets had the sacks full with nobody out and left Ellis Field with the win 8-5 and the ASC series over LeTourneau.
 
Henson and Salinas had two hits each for the Cowgirls, Salinas with a double. Cantu also had a double for HSU. Salinas led with three RBIs, with Cantu, Henson, Ratcliffe, and Avila each driving in a run for the Cowgirls.
 
Aubrianna Salazar started and pitched four innings with three strikeouts and just a pair of runs allowed in the win. Jorey Hood came out and tossed three strikeouts in two innings and Haven Williams threw for the save in the final inning with a strikeout.
 
The Cowgirls improve to 22-9 and 11-7 in the ASC with a match up on the other side of town against McMurry beginning Friday at 4 p.m.
 
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