MOBILE, Ala. – The Spring Hill College softball team posted 28 hits on the day, but the Henderson State University Reddies found a way to push more runs across as the visitors won both games of today's doubleheader at Murray Field. The Reddies won the first contest, 12-8, in 10 innings and won the second contest 5-1.
Game 1 - Henderson State 12, Spring Hill 8 (10 innings)
Meadow Villar turned in a 2-for-5 performance with two RBIs, a double, and a stolen base, and
Janci Aube went 2-for-6 with three runs, two RBIs, and a double to help lead the way for the Badgers.
Bethany Ahrens blasted a solo home run as part of her two hits.
Oscha Carter posted an RBI in her two hits.
Leighanna Turk pitched 1.2 innings in the start, threw a strikeout, but surrendered nine hits and five earned runs.
Belle Sheffield (0-1) carried most of the load in 7.1 innings, as the freshman struck out a batter and allowed nine hits, two walks, and just one earned run.
Emma Curry threw the final inning and gave up three hits and three earned runs.
The Reddies controlled the game early with three runs in the first and two in the second to take a 5-0 lead.
In the fourth, Ahrens hit a solo homer to get the scoring started. Aube singled to right for a pair of RBIs, and
Abigail Christ and
Kelci O'Dell scored on the play. Villar registered a sacrifice fly to shortstop as Aube darted in to score and move the tally to 5-4 in favor of Henderson State.
Spring Hill tied the game in the sixth with a
Jesslyn Gordon single to right, Jube scored to move to 5-5, and forced extra innings.
The Reddies scored a run in the eighth, and
Cat McCulley matched it with a sacrifice fly to left as O'Dell scored.
HSU brought home a run in the ninth, and in the bottom of the inning, Villar doubled to left, and Aube scored, moving the score to 7-7.
However, Henderson State powered across five runs in a huge 10th inning. Carter attempted to help the Badgers rally with a single to left to bring in
Destiny Pierce. Unfortunately, the rally ended there as the Badgers lost 12-8.
Game 2 - Henderson State 5, Spring Hill 1
Spring Hill scattered 14 hits in the loss to the Reddies. Gordon and Villar both finished 3-for-4 to lead the squad, while Pierce, Ahrens and McCulley each recorded a pair of hits.
Ahrens pitched all seven innings with five strikeouts and allowed eight hits, four walks, and three earned runs.
HSU posted three runs in the fourth and indeed two more in the seventh to go up 5-0.
The Badgers' lone run came with a single from Pierce to left, knocking in Gordon in the seventh to reach the 5-1 final.
Spring Hill and Henderson State play tomorrow to conclude the weekend series at 11 a.m. at Murray Field.
