The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team split a doubleheader with Sul Ross State University Thursday evening in Alpine. The Cru beat the Lobos 10-4 before follow 2-4. UMHB moved to 18-9 on the season and 12-5 in American Southwest Conference action while Sul Ross State went to 14-14 overall and 11-9 in league play.
Kourtney Cummings opened the first game against the Lobos with a home run, scoring Hannah Wolfe. Makenzi Dawson followed that with her first of three RBI singles to give UMHB a 3-0 run after the top of the first. The Lobos scored two runs in the bottom of the second to cut UMHB's lead to just one run but UMHB responded with a three-run third inning to gain a significant lead once again. Bounds was the first to put UMHB on the board, singling down the left field line to score Linsey Tomlinson. Kourtney Cummings followed that with a two-RBI double, scoring Bounds and Jessica Picou for a 6-2 Cru lead. The Lobos added a solo run in the bottom of the third but UMHB responded again, putting up two in the fifth. Dawson hit her second RBI single to score Kourtney Cummings. She then went for a steal to second, advancing to third on a scoring error and allowing Kasi Cummings to score. Jennifer Flores hit a home run for the Lobos in the bottom of that inning to cut UMHB's lead once again. The Cru scored their final two runs in the top of the seventh off a home run from Hannah Wolfe and another RBI single from Dawson. Dawson and Wolfe led the Cru with three hits each while Kourtney Cummings had a team-high four RBI and Kasi Cummings led the Cru with three runs. Hannah Halepaska earned the win in the circle, pitching a full seven innings with four runs allowed. Halepaska struck out five batters and did not record a walk. Jav'ana Gonzalez took the loss for the Lobos, allowing 15 hits and 10 runs in a full seven innings. Gonzalez walked two and struck out five batters.
UMHB opened the second contest with a one-run lead when Hannah Wolfe scored off an RBI single from Kasi Cummings. The Lobos evened the contest in the bottom of that inning then took a one-run lead in the bottom of the second when Alexis Trotter scored off a sacrifice fly by Gabriela Raimondi. UMHB knotted the contest once again in the third inning when Dawson scored off an RBI fielder's choice from Wolfe. Sul Ross State won the game in the fourth inning with an RBI single from Raimondi and scored an insurance run in the fifth to secure the 4-2 win. Four Crusaders led the Cru with two hits each while Wolfe and Cummings both recorded RBI. Karen Tennis took the loss for UMHB, pitching five innings with four runs and two earned runs allowed. Christen Santos earned the win for the Lobos, pitching a complete seven innings with two runs allowed. UMHB totaled two runs on 10 hits with three errors while the Lobos had four runs on nine hits with no errors.
UMHB finishes the series on Friday, March 30th in a 12 p.m. single game against the Lobos.
