Above photo by Russell Marwitz/True To The Cru/russellmarwitz.com
By Matthew Morrison
BELTON, Texas-The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team played host to No. 4 Belhaven University Friday evening in Belton. The Cru came into the series one game back of Belhaven in the standings.
UMHB struck first in game one after an RBI single from Lindsey Polleschultz that scored Bailey Eggleston. The Blazers tied the game in the top of the third when Anna McNeer scored on an error. UMHB reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Julia Crofut singled to bring Elissa Elliott and Lexi Harris home, creating a 3-1 lead.
The Cru scored some big insurance runs in the sixth inning starting with a two-run double by Elisabeth Paul to score Harris and Polleschultz. The Cru played effective small ball and capped off the inning with a homerun by Izzy Gutierrez to expand their lead to 8-1. Belhaven was able to score one run in the seventh with an RBI single, but UMHB claimed the 8-2 victory, its second over a Top 5 team in the last two weeks.
Bayleigh Grogan pitched all seven innings for UMHB, allowing two runs on six hits. Kennedy Carruth took the loss for the Blazers, allowing seven runs on eight hits. The Cru totaled nine hits, led by Harris and Elliott, with two each. Belhaven had six hits led by Blackwell with two.
However, Belhaven got the bats going in game two, scoring 10 runs. UMHB could not keep up and fell, 10-3. Ellie Jones had two home runs for the Blazers and five RBIs.
The rubber match came on Saturday. Both teams scored a run in the first inning as the game was tight for the first few innings. However, the Belhaven bats once again proved lethal. Belhaven used two big innings to take the series with a 9-1 victory in five innings.
UMHB will be back in action next weekend against sixth-ranked East Texas Baptist in Marshall, Texas.
My name is Matthew Morrison. I have worked in the UMHB Athletic Department for six years. I graduated from UMHB in 2016 with a degree in Mass Communications. I am currently working on master’s degree in Sport Administration. I am the Graduate Assistant for Sport Information at UMHB. I also write for the Belton Journal. Previously, I founded my own Broadcasting Company and covered Temple High School Basketball and Baseball for two years. I am an avid golfer and hope to go into the golf industry in some capacity after completing my schooling.
