Abram Choate, SID

BELTON, Texas  – The Lady Jackets took an extra inning victory in game one, but a late-inning comeback in game two by UMHB caused a Howard Payne doubleheader split against Mary Hardin-Baylor Friday afternoon in Belton.

Howard Payne moves to 16-4 overall and 5-1 in the ASC. UMHB is now 12-8 overall and 8-2 in American Southwest Conference play following the split.

Howard Payne won game one 1-0 in ten innings. UMHB's Lindsey Liles and HPU's Jill McLaughlin locked up in a pitcher's duel with the two teams combining to leave 12 runners on base through the first nine innings. Kristi Pinkerton's two-out infield single in the top of the tenth scored Lauren Vesley to make it 1-0 HPU and UMHB left the game-tying run at third base in the bottom of the frame. McLaughlin threw a complete-game, two-hitter to get the win for HPU. She struck out nine and walked two. Lindsey Liles took the loss for UMHB to fall to 5-5. McLaughlin and Brooke Schneider had two hits apiece for the Lady Jackets.

UMHB won game two 3-2 on Katina Penter's RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning. HPU took a 1-0 lead on Chinesia Rhinehart's RBI fielder's choice in the top of the first. The Lady Jackets pushed it to 2-0 on Katelyn Gola's RBI single in the top of the third. UMHB tied the game on back-to-back RBI fielder's choices from Penter and Charlsie Cope in the bottom of the third. It would stay 2-2 into the bottom of the seventh. Kacie Kripner led off with a single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Katy Griffin then reached on an error and Jessica Oliver followed with a single to load the bases. Penter then dropped a bloop single down the left field line to score Kripner with the game-winner. Ashley Edwards pitched one perfect inning in relief of starter Daphne Kahlig to get the win for UMHB. Jenna Middleton scattered nine hits for HPU to take the loss. Gola had two HPU's four hits in the game.

The two teams will close out the series with a 1:00 PM doubleheader tomorrow afternoon at Dee Dillon Field in Belton.