The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team completed its three-game sweep of Hardin-Simmons University Wednesday afternoon in Abilene, beating the Cowgirls 10-1. The win improved the Cru to 16-7 for the season and 11-4 in American Southwest Conference action, dropping the Cowgirls to 0-23 on the year and 0-15 in conference play.
UMHB opened the game scoreless in the first inning, but got back to their scoring offense in the second when Emily Bounds scoring on a sacrifice fly from Kourtney Cummings to give the Cru a 1-0 lead. The Cru added two more runs in the third inning with Devon Walter scoring on Kasi Cummings’ RBI single to shortstop and Jessica Picou scored on Kourtney Cummings’ RBI single to center. Walter scored again in the fourth inning, reaching off an RBI single by Hannah Wolfe to give the Cru a 4-0 lead. UMHB picked up the pace in the fifth inning, scoring three more runs. Avery Kelly and Logan Lowry scored off a two-RBI triple by Makenzi Dawson before Dawson scored on a wild pitch. UMHB showed no signs of slowing down into the sixth inning, tacking on three more runs. Kasi Cummings opened scoring with a sacrifice fly to score Kelly before Douglas scored from third on a passed ball. Lowry was the final Crusader to score, reaching on an RBI walk from Walter. The Cowgirls scored their lone run in the bottom of the sixth inning on two outs when Kaycee Koiner reached home on an RBI single by Emily Perez.
Walter and Lowry led the Cru with two runs each while Dawson and Kourtney Cummings led with two-RBI. Hannah Halepaska earned the win for the Cru, pitching her second complete game of the series allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out eight batters. The Cowgirls threw two pitchers, with Lexie Allen taking the loss for Hardin-Simmons. UMHB totaled 10 runs on 16 hits with only one error while HSU totaled one run on seven hits with one error.
UMHB returns to action on Monday, March 26th in a 5 p.m. doubleheader against St. Catherine University in Tyler.
