By Derrick Stuckly
dstuckly@brownwoodbulletin.com
Playing their first two home softball games of the season, the Howard Payne Lady Jackets were dealt a run-rule loss, then had the second game of doubleheader halted due to darkness with the scored tied in extra innings.
The Lady Jackets fell to Schreiner, 10-1, in five innings, while the nightcap concluded in a 7-7 tie after eight innings.
In Saturday’s opener, Schreiner broke a scoreless tie with five runs in the top of the third inning. The Lady Mountaineers added one run in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth to enforce the run rule.
Howard Payne responded to Schreiner’s five-spot with its only run in the bottom of the third. Haley Slater singled up the middle, then Tonya Thompson sacrificed Hannah Pflueger, running for Slater, to second base. With one out, Morgean Schultz drew a walk, but Shawneece Jones stuck out swinging for the second out. Katelyn Dickerson then delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle that brought home Pflueger from second base.
The Lady Jackets finished with seven hits — two each by Schultz, Dickerson and Slater along with one by Thompson.
In the circle, Thompson worked two-plus innings and allowed three runs on four hits with two walks to take the loss. Audrey Simpson pitched an inning of relief, yielding two runs on three hits. Kendra Evans finished the contest, surrendering five runs on five hits and three walks over two innings.
Samantha Cordon finished with three hits and two RBIs for Schreiner, while Alyssa Maki added a pair of hits and two RBIs.
Hannah Ortiz notched the victory in the circle, going all five innings with two strikeouts and one walk.
Statistical information was not available on the tie.
The Lady Jackets (0-3-1), who dropped a season-opening doubleheader at Huston-Tillotson on Tuesday, will visit Southwestern Assemblies of God for a 1 p.m. twin bill Tuesday seeking their first win of the season.