BROWNWOOD, Texas - The Howard Payne University softball team would lead from start to finish in a 5-4 series finale victory over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Saturday afternoon. HPU takes weekend series 2-1.

After a Celina Ortiz RBI single scoring Rachel Hitt in the first, the Lady Jackets used a four-run third to break open the game. Haley Slater would be hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Ortiz. Then a Kodi Glosson single up the middle scored Tayler Rushing and Allison Eaton. Finally, an Adrienne Sanchez single up the middle plated Haley Slater to make the score 5-0 HPU.

Mary Hardin-Baylor made a big push back scoring four in the top of the fourth to pull within one, 5-4.

Starting Lady Jacket pitcher, Celese Tirres settled down and put the game away over the next three frames. With two UMHB runners on base in the top of the seventh, Tirres would strikeout two and force a groundout to end the game.

Tirres recorded the complete game victory to improve to 5-3 on the year. She struckout three and walked none allowing four runs on eight hits. Rachel Hitt, Celina Ortiz and Adrienne Sanchez each had two hits for Howard Payne. 

Howard Payne is now 6-5 overall and 3-3 in American Southwest Conference play. UMHB stands at 3-6 overall and 2-4 in conference. The Lady Jackets will play next on Feb 26-27 at Louisiana College in Pineville, LA.