BELTON, Texas — Southwestern softball opened its season against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders, splitting Sunday's doubleheader with a 4-2 victory in Game 2, following a 2-1 loss.
Game 1: UMHB 2, Southwestern 1
Southwestern left three stranded in the top of the seventh inning, dropping a 2-1 game to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders.
Taylor McKenzie opened with a complete game for the Pirates, striking out nine while limiting the Crusaders to three hits. Her counterpart in the pitcher's circle, Bayleigh Grogan, also surrendered three hits, though over just five innings.
Mary Hardin-Baylor made the most of its opportunities, striking first in the bottom of the third inning. McKenzie opened the inning with two outs before walking Lexi Harris. Elisabeth Paul followed with the first UMHB hit of the game, an RBI-triple, to give the Crusaders the 1-0 lead.
Paul opened the bottom of the sixth with a one-out single. Kendall Tramel pinch ran for Paul and scored on Izzy Gutierrez's RBI double.
Southwestern finally broke through in the top of the seventh on a leadoff home run blasted by Kathryn Dull. After Meghan McCarthy grounded out, the Pirates got back-to-back singles from Sam Martinez and Samantha Saenz. Kinly McCaffrey reached on a fielder's choice, and Alex Fletes walked to load the bases with two outs, but the Pirates couldn't capitalize, ending the game on a groundout to second.
The Pirates got great production from the middle of their lineup. Dull was 1-for-3 with the home run. Mccarthy was also 1-for-3. Martinez and Saenz each hit 2-for-3.
Game 2: Southwestern 4, UMHB 2
Southwestern and Mary Hardin-Baylor put on another class pitching duel in the second game, with all six of the game's runs scored in the eighth inning of the Pirates' 4-2 victory.
Freshman Madison Vela made a solid collegiate debut in the pitcher's circle for Southwestern, retiring nine of the first 10 hitters she faced. She went six innings, striking out five with only three hits surrendered and no runs allowed. Vela also doubled to lead off the sixth, getting replaced by pinch-runner Jodi Millhouse.
Paige Rasmussen stepped into the pitcher's circle to start the seventh inning and allowed two runners but got out of the jam unscathed.
Southwestern's offense exploded in the top of the eighth inning. After Rylee Rudloff opened with a groundout to third, the Pirates reeled off four consecutive hits, scoring four. Maddie Mefford and Dull sparked Southwestern with back-to-back singles to centerfield. McCarthy hit an RBI double to right, scoring Mefford. Martinez followed with a three-run blast for the 4-0 lead.
Mary Hardin-Baylor opened the bottom of the eight with a walk and back-to-back singles to load the bases with no outs. However, Milly Cesare grounded into a fielder's choice out from second to home, mitigating the damage for Southwestern, and Rasmussen struck out Paul for the second out with no runs scored.
Taylor Holman pinch hit for Lindsey Polleschultz and delivered a two-RBI single, but Cesare was thrown out at third to end the game.
Southwestern generated eight hits by seven batters, with Brooke Yanta going 2-for-4. Mefford was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Dull was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. McCarthy was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Martinez hit 1-for-4 with the three-run home run.
With Southwestern's Monday games against Huston-Tillotson postponed due to field conditions, the Pirates' next scheduled game is the home opener against Pacific Lutheran on Sunday, Feb. 13.