The Howard Payne Lady Jacket softball team dropped two games to the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor on Friday, losing 8-13 and 3-11. 

UMHB put up four runs in the first inning and one in the second inning, but Howard Payne took the momentum back in the third. Abigail Hinojos scored a run off of back to back passed balls, while the run scored by Justine Farrell-Raborn forced a UMHB pitching change in the bottom of the third. 

A 3 RBI double to left center from Rebecca McDaniel brought in Kimble Luna, Katie Poerner and Haleigh Caraway, moving the score to 5-6 and the Lady Jackets within one. 
McDaniel hit another 3 RBI double in the fourth inning, this time bringing in Mallory Wood, Ashley Silva, and Luna home. However, the one run lead in the bottom of the fourth wouldn’t be enough to hold off the six runs scored by UMHB in the remainder of the game, and the home runs by Jessica Oliver and Megan Bohne in the top of the 7th that would make the final score 13-8. 

HPU pitcher Shelby Wahrmund would be charged with the loss, while Erica White would get the win for Mary-Hardin Baylor. 

In the second game, a triple by Luna would put up the first run for the Lady Jackets with Hinojos scoring the tying run in the third. A home run by UMHB’s Johnston in the top of the fourth would put UMHB ahead by one, and with Howard Payne unable to match the next eight runs the game would end at 11-3. 

Despite the loss, Howard Payne’s Rebecca McDaniel went 2 for 2 from the plate and Haleigh Caraway went 1 for 3 with 1 RBI. 

UMHB’s Kelsey Greeson got the win in her six innings of play, while the loss went to HPU’s Haleigh Caraway. 

Howard Payne’s record is now 3-8 on the year while UMHB moves 5-5. The Lady Jackets will finish up the series with UMHB on Saturday starting at 12 pm in Brownwood.