ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' Cowgirl softball team defeated McMurry in a wild midweek game Tuesday, coming back to win 5-2 thanks to a homerun by Bailey Miller to take the lead and rally the team for the win at Lou Morton Ellis Field.
 
The Cowgirls had to push past some pure pandemonium early in the game to win 5-2 against the War Hawks at home.
 
McMurry took the lead on a hit, a walk, and a hit with two outs in the first inning, up 1-0. A dropped fly ball got a runner on in the second inning, and they came around to score for the War Hawks on a throwing error to make it 2-0.
 
Hardin-Simmons was in scoring position in the fourth inning before a thrown-out runner trying to steal led to a count discrepancy at the plate that ended the inning quickly on a strikeout.
 
The Cowgirls threatened again in the fifth inning, coming back to take the lead after a walk, a single, a sac bunt, and another walk led to a Kinzley Cantu RBI-single with the bases loaded.
 
HSU tied the game 2-2 on a wild pitch before another walk to load the bases. Ella Salinas hit into a bizarre double play with the bases loaded, where the third basemen got the force out at third and turned to throw home, but the runner was not tagged at the plate to follow, yet still ruled out, nullifying the inning.
 
Bailey Miller proceeded to launch a homerun out of left field to rally the Cowgirls in the sixth inning and take the lead 3-2. Jazlynn Cantu doubled and later stole home on a double steal play with Ava Dennis.
 
Erin Love got an RBI driving in Dennis on a fielder's choice to make it 5-2 and Kimma Kincaid finished the seventh inning pitching three straight outs after a single to strand McMurry's chance to win.
 
Hardin-Simmons had eight hits but two errors in the win and allowed six hits by McMurry. Gabby Montanez started the game and had four hits in four innings and one earned run with a walk in the no-decision. Freshman Kimma Kincaid out of Wylie East got the win with three innings and late runs support with just two hits allowed and a questionable hit by pitch.
 
Dennis went 3-for-3 from the plate and scored two runs for the Cowgirls. Kinzley Cantu, Erin Love, and Bailey Miller had RBIs, Miller lifting the team with the solo-homerun in the sixth inning rally.
 
Hardin-Simmons improved to 12-4 and 2-0 on the year against McMurry and will play next Wednesday, March 25 for two games against Arlington Baptist starting at 4 p.m. at Ellis Field at home in Abilene.  
 
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