HPU Gets Four-Game Sweep Over UMHB

Kate McLaughlin had two homeruns on Saturday versus UMHB

Abram Choate, SID

BELTON, Texas – The Howard Payne Lady Jacket softball team completed a four-game sweep of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor with double-header wins Saturday afternoon. HPU won 6-2 in game one and 3-2 in game. With the two wins, HPU improves to 16-2 overall, the best start in program history.

UMHB could not overcome HPU's five-run fourth-inning in a 6-2 game one loss. The Lady Jackets used RBI singles from Kellye Wheeler, Lauren Bollich and Kimble Luna and also took advantage of a pair of UMHB errors in the five-run frame. HPU added a run on McLaughlin's RBI single in the top of the sixth to make it 6-0. UMHB would cut it to 6-2 on Caitlin Wells' RBI single and Megan Bohne's bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh, but UMHB would leave the bases loaded as the comeback try fell short.

Middleton threw a complete-game, seven-hitter to raise her record to 8-0 for HPU. Kelsey Greeson recorded the loss for UMHB to drop to 3-4 on the season. Bohne and Hurst had two hits apiece for UMHB. Wheeler and Bollich had two hits each for the Lady Jackets. 

UMHB took a lead into the top of the sixth inning of game two before Kate McLaughlin's two-run homer gave HPU the 3-2 win in game two. A McLaughlin solo homer gave the Lady Jackets a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. UMHB tied it on a passed ball in the bottom of the first. UMHB would take a 2-1 lead on a RBI double in the bottom of the fourth inning. It would stay that way until McLaughlin drove a pitch off the foul pole down the right field line in the top of the sixth inning. Howard Payne held UMHB scoreless in their next two at bats to post a sweep of the four-game series.

Melissa Hall picked up the win for HPU to improved her record to 5-1 and Jenna Middleton set UMHB down in order in the bottom of the seventh for her second save. Mandy Staton took the loss for UMHB to fall to 3-3 on the season. McLaughlin had three of the Lady Jackets' six hits and drove in all three runs. Megan Bohne had two of UMHB's six hits in the game.

Howard Payne improves to 16-2 overall and 4-0 in the ASC with the two victories. UMHB is now 7-9 overall and 0-4 in American Southwest Conference play on the season. Howard Payne will play next weekend at home versus Schreiner University.
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