LONGVIEW, Texas - The Howard Payne University softball team split a conference doubleheader with LeTourneau University 3-6 and 7-4 Friday evening.
Game One
LeTourneau led 6-0 after a two-run third and four-run fifth but Howard Payne rallied in the final two innings.
HPU's
Amy Perez scored in the sixth on an error by the shortstop with just one out but HPU would not be able to capitalize. Then in the seventh an
Emily Martinez two-run homer brought the Lady Jackets to within three, 3-6.
Alexis Sullivan finished 2-for-4 at the plate for HPU.
Tia Campos threw the complete game in the loss allowing six runs on 10 hits and striking out three.
Game Two
Howard Payne gained a 5-0 lead with a five-run third and never looked back winning 7-4.
In the third, it was first an
Alexis Sullivan 2RBI single, a
Kayla Hill RBI single to score Sullivan, then a
Haley Slater two-run homer to left field that rounded out the scoring.
Madison Love drove in a run in the fifth but LeTourneau scored three in the bottom of the inning to make the score 6-3 HPU. The Lady Jackets added another run in the sixth on an
Emily Martinez sac fly to score
Aurora Luera.
LeTourneau scored a run in the bottom of the seventh but the HPU pitching shut it down the late push and claimed the 7-4 victory.
Aurora Luera,
Alexis Sullivan and
Haley Slater each finished with two hits for HPU.
Audrey Simpson allowed just one run on ten hits in the start and
Hannah Stuart allowed three runs on two hits in 1.2 innings of relief.
Howard Payne is now 11-14 overall and 7-10 in ASC action, LeTourneau stands at 16-10 overall and 13-7 in league play. the two teams will finish up their weekend series on Saturday with a single game starting at 11:00 am.
