Jackson, Mississippi – The script was completely different in the two games, but the result was the same as the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team lost both ends of a doubleheader to Belhaven University Friday afternoon in Jackson, Mississippi. UMHB fell 1-0 in a game one pitcher’s duel before losing a 14-8 slugfest in the second game.
UMHB built three different leads only to see the Blazers score ten runs in their last two at-bats in a 14-8 game two loss. Kourtney Cummings scored on an error in the top of the first to give the Cru a 1-0 lead, but Belhaven tied it up in the bottom of the frame. UMHB added three runs in the top of the third on Leah Brown’s sacrifice fly and RBI singles from Karley Free and Devon Walter. The Blazers once again had an answer and put three up in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 4-4. Walter, Emily Marrs and Kasi Cummings had consecutive RBI singles in the top of the fifth and Marrs scored on another error to give UMHB an 8-4 edge. The Blazers then exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fifth and added five more in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach. Myranda Hinojosa had three hits and Walter had two for the Cru. Haley Parker took the loss to drop to 7-7 on the season. Haley Yasses had three hits, including a home run and Dani Craft drove in six runs for the Blazers. Taylor Surrento (8-3) picked up the win with three innings of three-hit relief work for Belhaven.
UMHB could not generate enough offense to overcome solid Belhaven pitching in a 1-0 loss in game one. The Cru loaded the bases with one out in the top of the third, but back-to-back strikeouts kept them scoreless. UMHB then had a pair of runners on base in the top of the fourth inning but hit into a triple play to end the threat. Belhaven finally broke the deadlock on Craft’s RBI single in the bottom of the fourth for a 1-0 lead. UMHB put two runners on in the top of the seventh but could not tie the game. Karen Tennis took the hard-luck loss for the Cru to move to 10-11 on the season. Hinojosa had two of UMHB’s four hits in the game. Surrento picked up the win with another solid relief effort for the Blazers. Belhaven was held to just five hits in the contest.
The Cru is now 19-18 on the season following Friday’s two losses. The Blazers improve to 29-6 on the year with the two victories. Games against Belhaven do not count in the American Southwest Conference softball standings. The two teams will close out the series and the regular season with a 12:00 PM single game on Saturday. UMHB has already clinched a berth in next week’s ASC Tournament.
