BROWNWOOD, TX - The Howard Payne University took both games of the double-header on Friday defeating the Ozarks 5-1 in game one and 6-3 in game two at Lady Jacket Field. 

GAME 1 | Howard Payne 5, Ozarks 1

The Howard Payne Lady Jackets took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed from there on the way to a 5-1 win against the Ozarks Eagles in game one.

Bree Cason (8-11) started in the circle and picked up the win for Howard Payne (9-18, 2-13). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up one run on four hits, allowing four walks and striking out four.

At the plate, the Lady Jackets were paced by Makayla Fuentes, who went 1-for-4 on the day with a double and three RBI. Jayden Falcon furnished a standout performance as well, going 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Maddison Cason also chipped in for Howard Payne, putting together two hits in three trips to the plate while adding an RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Lady Jackets got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom the first inning with the game still scoreless. Elise Munoz came across to score the lone run of the inning for Howard Payne and get them on the board.

The Eagles then tied the ballgame at one before the Lady Jackets came back to reclaim their advantage in the second inning. Howard Payne scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Maddison Cason, which brought the score to 2-1 in favor of the Lady Jackets.

Howard Payne held Ozarks scoreless before building their lead to 5-1 in the fourth inning. The Lady Jackets added three runs in the frame, two of them coming across on a two-RBI double from Fuentes. The score remained 5-1 for the rest of the game, as Howard Payne coasted to the win.

GAME NOTES

» Howard Payne's highest scoring inning was the fourth, when it pushed three runs across.
» Howard Payne took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» The Lady Jackets out-hit the Eagles at a 9-4 clip.
» Howard Payne went 5-for-13 (.385) with runners in scoring position.
» Howard Payne pitchers limited Ozarks to just 1-for-9 (.111) with runners in scoring position.
» Howard Payne pitchers faced 29 Ozarks hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and five fly balls while striking out four.
» The Lady Jackets drew four walks from Ozarks pitching.
» Fuentes led the Lady Jackets at the plate, going 1-for-4 with a double and three RBI.
» Ozarks was led offensively by J. Rowland, who went 1-for-1.
» A. Fultz led the Eagles pitching staff, throwing six innings of five-run ball.

GAME 2 | Howard Payne 6, Ozarks 3

Kayla Camacho was mowing people down in game two, striking out 11 Ozarks hitters over seven innings of work to help lead the Howard Payne Lady Jackets over the Eagles 6-3.

In addition to her 11 strikeouts, Camacho (3-7) went seven innings, giving up three runs, all of them earned, on eight hits and walking four for Howard Payne (10-18, 3-13).

In the batter's box, the Lady Jackets were led by Makayla Wesley, who went 2-for-4 on the day with a double and four RBI. McKeanne Saenz furnished a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Jayden Falcon also contributed for Howard Payne, putting together two walks and an RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Lady Jackets got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom the first inning with the game still scoreless. Howard Payne got an RBI single from Wesley, scoring Elise Munoz from second base.

The Lady Jackets lost the lead they built in the first, but got back on the board in the second trailing 3-1. The Howard Payne offense exploded for five runs, highlighted by a three-run double off the bat of Wesley, which brought the Lady Jackets lead to 6-3. The score remained 6-3 for the rest of the game, as Howard Payne held on for the win.

GAME NOTES

» Camacho struck out 11 Eagles hitters.
» Wesley drove in four runs for Howard Payne.
» Howard Payne's highest scoring inning was the second, when it pushed five runs across.
» The Lady Jackets had control of the rest of the game after jumping ahead of the Eagles 6-3 in the bottom of the second.
» Howard Payne went 3-for-10 (.300) with runners in scoring position.
» Howard Payne pitchers faced 33 Ozarks hitters in the game, allowing two ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out 11.
» The Lady Jackets drew six walks from Ozarks pitching.
» Wesley led the Lady Jackets at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI.
» Ozarks was led offensively by K. Schmidt, who went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
» M. Haupt led the Eagles pitching staff, throwing six innings of six-run ball.

The Lady Jackets will look to sweep the series versus the Ozarks as they host the series finale on Saturday with first pitch set for 12:00 PM at Lady Jacket Field.