Austin College Softball Sweeps HPU

BROWNWOOD, Texas - The Austin College softball team secured a pair of victories on the road Tuesday afternoon, defeating Howard Payne University 7-4 in the opener before blanking them 3-0 in game two at Lady Jacket Park. With the sweep, the 'Roos improved their overall record to 7-17 on the season, while the Jackets fell to 2-18.

In game one, the 'Roos relied on a balanced offensive attack and a complete-game effort from Cassidy Cantera to hold off the Jackets. After a scoreless first two innings, Austin College got on the board in the third when Emma Freiermuht scored on a fielding error.

The 'Roos broke the game open in the fourth inning with a four-run outburst. Skyler Vickers sparked the rally with an RBI single to center field, bringing home Jillian Kelly. Following an RBI groundout from Tori Fowler, Reagan Brinkley delivered the biggest hit of the frame, lacing a two-run double to right field to extend the lead to 5-0.

Cantera kept the Jackets scoreless through five innings before Howard Payne found life in the sixth. McKeanne Saenz put the home team on the board with an RBI single, cutting the deficit to 6-1. Austin College added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single from Vickers, who finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two RBI, and three stolen bases. Brinkley also went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs driven in.

Howard Payne mounted a late threat in the bottom of the seventh. Alyana Salazar delivered a two-run single to center field, and another run came across on a passed ball, trimming the Austin College lead to 7-4. However, Cantera induced a pair of flyouts to end the rally and secure the win. Cantera tossed all seven innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits while striking out two. Alyssa Silva took the loss for the Jackets, giving up three earned runs in 3.1 innings of work.

Game two featured a dominant pitching performance from Austin College's Zoey Harrell, who tossed a complete-game shutout to guide the 'Roos to a 3-0 victory. Harrell scattered just four hits over seven innings, issuing zero walks and striking out three to silence the Jackets' lineup.

The 'Roos provided Harrell with early run support in the top of the first. After Fowler reached on an error and stole second, she eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly to center field by Lauren Trott.

The game remained a narrow 1-0 contest until the fifth inning, when Piper Lindlau ripped a leadoff triple to left-center. Kelly entered as a pinch runner and quickly scored on an RBI single to shortstop by Jadyn Myers. Later in the inning, Freiermuht drove in Myers with a sacrifice fly to center, capping the scoring at 3-0. Lindlau led the 'Roos at the plate in the second game, finishing 2-for-3 with a double and a triple.

Paris Mederez took the loss for Howard Payne, going the distance while allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out seven without issuing a walk. Makayla Dunn and Colbi Goodwin each recorded hits for the Jackets in the losing effort.