AUSTIN, Texas - The Howard Payne University softball team split a doubleheader vs. Concordia University on Thursday afternoon at the Tornado Softball complex. After falling in game one, 3-0 the Lady Jackets used a four-run sixth inning rally to pull away with a 9-8 victory in game two.

Tayler Rushing picked up her first win of the season on the mound for Howard Payne and Haley Slater finished 3-4 from the plate with four RBI's to help lead the Lady Jackets to the 9-8 victory. Kayla Boucher added two RBI's on 2-4 hitting and Howard Payne finished the game with an efficient nine runs on 13 hits.

The first game of the doubleheader started much differently than the second, with the Lady Jackets bats being held scoreless through seven full innings of play. The Tornado's then used a two-run fifth inning to run away with a 3-0 victory. Concordia received some stellar pitching from Shelby Burrus, who pitched a complete game shutout to pick up her tenth victory of the season. Madison Witherwax also went the distance in the circle for Howard Payne, surrendering just eight hits while facing 27 batters.

Tayler Rushing led off game two with a single to leftfield and then stole second to put Howard Payne into scoring position early. After Rachel Hitt took a base on balls, Haley Slater singled up the middle and brought in both Rushing and Hitt to give the Lady Jackets an early 2-0 lead. However, Concordia answered back in the bottom of the inning after an RBI triple to right center scored one run.

Sabrina Ochoa led of the top of the second with a bunt and was then able to steal second base and wound up scoring after Kayla Boucher singled up the middle to give Howard Payne a 3-1 lead. The Tornado's tied it back up at 3-3 after loading the bases and bringing around two runs in the bottom of the third. 

The Lady Jackets would regain the lead in the top of the fourth inning after Audrey Simpson took a walk and Tayler Rushing followed with a single up to the middle. Rachel Hitt singled through the left side and brought around Simpson and put Rushing on third base, forcing a pitching change. Haley Slater greeted the Tornado's new pitcher with a single through the left side to score Rushing and give Howard Payne the 5-3 lead through 4.5 innings.

Both teams fought tough down the stretch and Concordia was able to reel off a four run bottom of the fifth inning to capture a 7-5 lead after five full innings of play. The Lady Jackets would respond with a four run inning of their own in the top of the sixth to recapture the lead. Audrey Simpson, Tayler Rushing and Kodi Glosson each led off the inning with singles. Glosson's single scored Simpson and a Haley Slater groundout would score Rushing and setup runners in scoring position for Kayla Boucher. Boucher hit a beautiful ball down the leftfield line to score Madison Sims and Glosson and give Howard Payne the 9-7 lead.

The Tornado's scored one more run in the bottom of the sixth, but Tayler Rushing settled in on the mound and retired the side in order to help deliver the 9-8 slump busting victory.

The third and conlusive game of the series takes place tomorrow at 11:00 AM. Stay tuned to @HPUSoftball for all your links to live video, stats and more.