• by Travis Hendryx •
BROWNWOOD, Texas- The Sul Ross Lady Lobo softball team split a midweek, non-conference doubleheader at Howard Payne University on Wednesday.
Following a 10-0 shutout win in the opening contest, Sully dropped a 7-1 decision in the second half of Wednesday’s twin bill.
Game 1: SRSU-10, HPU-0
The Lady Lobos outhit Howard Payne by a 10-3 margin.
Heather Rios and Abbie Alvarado led the charge at 2-for-3 hitting. Alvarado notched an RBI with two runs scored. Gabriela Raimondi shouldered a team-high three RBI with a run scored and a walk.
Sul Ross plated five runs in the top of the third as Ashley Weatherford scored off a single up the middle by Payslee Sims. Rios then scored, unearned, off a single by Alvarado before Tatum Lynch came across off a hit-by-pitch to Hailey Guillen.
A bases-loaded walk by Raimondi scored Alvarado before Anaya Losoya reached off another bases-loaded walk scoring Mary Villareal for a 5-0 Lady Lobo lead heading to a scoreless bottom of the third.
An infield error in the Sul Ross fourth scored Rios before a sacrifice fly by Guillen drove in Annika Canaba for a 7-0 lead.
Sully added three more runs in the sixth as Alvarado and Villareal scored off a single by Raimondi down the left field line.
Losoya then doubled Raimondi across for a 10-0 lead and the eventual final score as the game ended after six complete innings.
Jodie Vaughn saddled the win after six innings from the circle. Vaughn allowed just three hits while striking out a second season-high eight Howard Payne batters.
Game 2: HPU-7, SRSU-1
The Yellow Jackets edged Sul Ross by a 7-6 hitting margin.
The Lady Lobos scored the first run of the contest in the top of third as Vaughn came across off a triple by Canaba.
Howard Payne tied the game in the fourth then added six runs in the bottom of the fifth before holding off a Lady Lobo comeback.
Starter Annie Alvarado was charged with the loss after 4.2 innings.
With Wednesday’s split, the Lady Lobos sit at 9-14 while Howard Payne moves to 10-13.
Sul Ross returns to ASC play Friday and Saturday with a three-game series at McMurry University.