BROWNWOOD- The Howard Payne University softball team started their series against McMurry University with a double header split earlier this afternoon. The Lady Jackets lost in game one 5-2, but battled back in game two, winning 12-7.

Game One
The War Hawks were able to score throughout the game, taking advantage of the high winds blowing out. McMurry scored two in the second, two in the fourth and one in the seventh to gain a 5-0 advantage before Howard Payne scored in the bottom of the seventh.

HPU's Alexis Sullivan started the seventh inning with a bang, hitting her third homer of the year putting HPU on the board. Melinda Mendoza was able to bring in one more run before the end of the game, making the final score 5-2.

Throwing a complete game, Tia Campos recorded the loss for the Lady Jackets, allowing five runs on 10 hits. The Lady Jacket hitters were held to just three hits in the game.

Game Two
The HPU bats woke up in game two as the Lady Jackets had four different players hit homers and the team outhit the War Hawks 17-10 overall.

Aurora Luera started the game off hot for the Lady Jackets hitting a homerun on her first up at bat. Lady Jacket Kayla Hill was able to bring in a run off of a double to left center. Kayla Anderson was the last to record a hit in the first inning, ending the first frame 5-3 McMurry after a big top of the inning by the War Hawks.

The Lady Jackets were able to gain the lead through the next few innings, sparked by a home run from Alexis Sullivan, and a single from Emily Martinez, ending the bottom of the third 7-5 HPU.

Senior Lady Jacket Audrey Simpson came into the circle in the top of the fourth, allowing one run on two hits. After while allowing one homerun in the top of the fifth, the score was 7-7 at the end of the inning.

Power hitter Haley Slater was able to hit her fifth homer of the year in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 8-7 Lady Jackets.

The Lady Jackets added four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, making the score 12-7 off of a double to right center from Alexis Sullivan and a homerun from Kayla Hill, her seventh of the year.

Hannah Staurt started in the circle for HPU, allowing four runs on two hits. Gabrelle Roque came in to end the first inning for the Lady Jackets, going into the bottom of the half 5-0.

HPU is now 14-20 overall and 10-13 in American Southwest Conference play, while the War Hawks stand at 13-21 overall and 8-15 in conference play. The Yellow Jackets will continue their series against McMurry tomorrow, Friday, April 19th at 11 am at Lady Jacket Park.