BROWNWOOD, Texas – The Howard Payne University softball team completed a sweep vs. Austin College during a doubleheader at Lady Jacket Field on Tuesday afternoon. The Lady Jackets defeated the Kangaroos, 2-0 in game one and 12-7 in game two. 

GAME ONE:
 
Audrey Simpson pitched a complete game shutout during game one, striking out three batters and Tiffany Hinkleman drove in a run while going a perfect 2-2 from behind the plate to help Howard Payne (2-0) collect their first victory of the season. 

Kody Glosson led off the second inning with a double to left-center field and Tonya Thompson brought her around third base with a hard hit ball to the infield that was fumbled, leaving the Lady Jackets with runners on the corners. Glosson would round the bases one more time a short while later on a throwing error that put Howard Payne on the scoreboard for the first time of the day. 

The Lady Jackets weren't finished in the second inning and with Thompson now sitting on second base, Tiffany Hinkleman stepped up to the plate. Hinklemen's single down the left-field line would bring home Thompson and become Howard Payne's first RBI and earned run of the 2017 season. The run put the Lady Jackets up 2-0. 

Simpson would surrender just four more hits the rest of the game and Howard Payne would hold on to take the 2-0 victory over the Kangaroos. 

GAME TWO:
 
Austin College (0-2) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning but the Lady Jackets responded by scoring 11 runs in the second and third innings to run away with a 12-7 win. Audrey Simpson went 3-3 from the plate and drove in six runs while scoring two runs herself and Gabrielle Roque added two RBI's and a run on 2-4 hitting to help propel a high powered Howard Payne offense. 

A single through the infield from Ashley Mayorga and a couple of wild pitches later put the Kangaroos on the board for the first time of the day. After giving up two runs in the top of the first, the Lady Jackets were held scoreless to close out the inning.  

They responded by collecting three runs in the bottom of the second inning after Audrey Simpson crushed a triple to right-center field to bring home Haley Slater and Kody Glosson. Gabrielle Roque would bring home Simpson with a nicely placed bunt and the Lady Jackets recaptured a 3-2 lead to close out the inning. 

Howard Payne would surrender the lead in the ensuing inning only to recapture it for the final time in the bottom of the third. Audrey Simpson hit a grand slam, her first as a Lady Jacket, and Tayler Rushing followed it up with a RBI double to the right-center wall to help give HPU an 11-4 lead through three innings of play. 

Both teams were scoreless through the next two innings until Austin College began to make a late rally in the top of the sixth inning. The Kangaroos were able to pick up three runs to bring the score to 11-7 but it would be the last time they scored on the day. Howard Payne would go on to score again in the sixth inning after Gabrielle Roque singled and brought in Hannah Pflueger for the 12th and final score of the game. 

The Lady Jackets used a trio of pitchers to pick up the victory with Tonya Thompson registering the win in the scorebook. Howard Payne now moves to 2-0 on the season and will next face Schreiner University in another double-header slated for Friday, February 3rd at 1:00 PM.  

For in-game updates, interactive content, and more follow us on Twitter @HPUSoftball and also on Instagram @ HPUSports. Live stats and video links can also be obtained on HPUSports.com