(April 18, 2008)--The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team battled back from an early deficit with a late rally in game two and the Cru went on to sweep a doubleheader from Texas Lutheran University Friday afternoon in Belton. UMHB took game one 9-0 on the run rule and then posted a 4-2 victory in game two. The Cru improves to 25-5 overall and 18-0 in American Southwest Conference play with the two victories. Texas Lutheran falls to 10-22 overall and 5-13 in the ASC with the two losses.

The Cru broke game one open early and then coasted to a 9-0 victory. Sara Roman scored the first run on an error and Kelsey Greeson added a two-run homer to make it 3-0 Cru in the bottom of the first inning. UMHB added six more runs in the bottom of the second. Becca Ribera singled home the first run, Kacie Kripner added a two-run single, Greeson hit an RBI single, Kripner scored on an error and Charlsie Cope added a sacrifice fly for the final run of the frame. That was more than enough offense for Greeson, who allowed only Natalie Suciu’s infield single and three walks in a dominating performance. Greeson struck out 11 and improved to 12-1 on the season. Kripner and Greeson led the Cru offense with two hits apiece.

UMHB then fought back from an early 1-0 deficit on the way to a 4-2 game two win. Allison Organ’s RBI groundout put TLU up 1-0 in the top of the third inning. UMHB would take a 2-1 lead on Cope’s two-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning. Organ added an RBI double in the top of the fifth to tie the game at two. Erica Salazar put the Cru back in front when she scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth and Megan Bohne singled home an insurance run. Ashley Edwards then pitched her way out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh inning to get the win and raise her record to 3-0. Bohne had two of UMHB’s seven hits. Suciu was 3-3 for TLU and Melissa Stewart added two hits for the Bulldogs in the loss.

The two teams will close out the series with a 1:00 PM doubleheader tomorrow in Belton. UMHB will then close out the regular season with a four-game series at Hardin-Simmons University next weekend in Abilene.