BROWNWOOD, Texas - The Howard Payne University softball team hosted Southwestern Assemblies of God University beneath cloudy skies and sporadic rainstorms on Tuesday afternoon. The Lady Jackets split the day with the Lions, winning 8-6 in the first game but splitting the second game 3-3 before being called for weather conditions.

The Lady Jackets used a six-run inning in the fifth to rally back from a 3-2 deficit and pick up the 8-7 victory in game one. Tonya Thompson got things started early in the second game, belting a solo home run over the left field wall in the third inning. It was the first home run of her Howard Payne career. In the bottom of the fifth inning, she would go on to record a triple that tied the game up at 3-3 before being called.

The game took place in Brownwood despite originally being scheduled to take place at SAGU's campus in Waxahachie, Texas. But due to weather forecasts, the two teams decided to move the non-conference doubleheader to Lady Jacket Field. Conditions didn't fare much better but the two sides were able to get in a total of 13 innings. Once it looked like both sides were digging in for an extra-inning affair, the officials decided to call it before it pushed into worse and darker conditions.

During the first games action, both sides came out quick and split a two-run first inning. Morgean Schultz started things off for the Lady Jackets by doubling to right center field. Tonya Thompson followed by laying down a beautiful bunt which she was able to run out and turn to two after a throwing error. The error brought home Schultz and put Thompson in position to score with the middle of the lineup due to the plate. Thompson would eventually steal home and tie the game up at 2-2 to end the first inning of play.

Three scoreless innings of play followed as both teams' pitchers settled in and relax. Freshmen Tia Campos turned in six solid innings of play in the circle for the Jackets before handing things over to Audrey Simpson to close out the game.

The Lions tried to pull ahead in the top of the fifth inning by rallying with two outs to push one runner over home plate after a fielding error put runners in scoring position. However, Howard Payne responded with one of their most impressive offensive performances of the young season by going off for six runs to take an 8-3 lead into the sixth inning. 

Gabby Roque led off the inning by working the count and taking a walk. Freshmen, Ferrah Ford followed with a nice liner up the middle to put the Lady Jackets into scoring position. Audrey Simpson was able to reach base on an error to load the bases for Morgean Schultz and the top of Howard Payne's batting order. Schultz got a hold of a pitch and drove it to left-field to bring in one run and a Tonya Thompson single up the middle scored another run. 

Senior, Kayla Boucher crushed a liner through the left side, all the way to the outfield wall, that cleared the bases. Junior, Haley Slater scored Boucher with a single down the left field line before the inning ended with HPU now up, 8-3. Both sides exchanged a scoreless sixth inning before SAGU made a run at the comeback in the top of the seventh. 

The Lions led off the inning with a double and proceeded to put runners into position and threaten the Lady Jackets. Audrey Simpson would sub in and settle in on the mound. She was able to force two groundout's to end the game but not before SAGU was able to score three runs to make the final score 8-6 Howard Payne.

Junior Morgean Schultz finished 2-4 from the plate with one run scored and an RBI while Tonya Thompson was 2-2 with a solo home run, two runs scored and a stolen base. Ferrah Ford recorded two hits and a double on 2-3 hitting and Haley Slater rounded things off by batting in one run and going 1-3 from the batter's box. 

In game two, Tonya Thompson continued her hot streak from the plate. Her first career home run came in the third inning and she tripled and scored on a wild throw in the sixth. Her home run in the third was the first answer the Lady Jacket offense had for the one run inning they surrendered during the first inning of play. 

With both sides tied at 1-1 heading into the fifth inning, the Lions came out intent on taking control of the game. They were able to use strong baserunning to put themselves into scoring position and after a double to the outfield wall, they were able to pull ahead with the 3-1 lead.

Morgean Schultz started off the bottom of the inning by lining a single up the middle into the outfield. Then, Thompson stepped up to make her second appearance at the plate in the game and blasted a ball to the right-center fence to score Schultz and tie the game back up. However, the next inning the game would get called and the result would end in a 3-3 tie.

The Howard Payne softball team will next be in action against Austin College this Friday at 1:00 PM. Live links and stats will be made available at HPUSports.com and follow along on Twitter @HPUSoftball.