CONWAY, Ark. - The Hendrix College softball team lost a pair of close games to second place Birmingham-Southern College in Southern Athletic Association at Warrior Field Saturday. The 25th-ranked Panthers (28-6-1, 17-2-1) won the first game 4-2 in nine innings, then took the nightcap 2-1 from the Warriors (10-22, 6-14).
After the games, Hendrix honored their three seniors -
Seana Corbin,
Morgan Fires and
Michaela Larabee.
In game one, BSC freshman Micaela Beck hit a solo home run to lead off the fourth inning. The Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the fifth on a hit an error. Hendrix managed to the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman pitcher
Autumn Martin singled and junior third baseman
Shelby Anderson drew a walk with one out. Freshman catcher
Nikki Sanders followed with a base hit to center field which was bobbled, allowing Martin and Anderson to score.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the ninth when BSC's Alex Skene and Casey Craig came up with a RBI single and double, respectively.
BSC outhit Hendrix 9-8 in game one. Taylor Harkins earned the win in relief, allowing three hits and striking out two in 3.2 innings of scoreless relief. Martin (4-10) took the loss for the Warriors.
In game two, the Panthers went up 1-0 in the second when shortstop Taylor Basset singled and scored on a hit up the middle from catcher Torrie Garner. The Warriors tied it up when Anderson led the bottom of the frame off with a walk. She moved to third on a heads-up baserunning play after a ground out. Junior pitcher
Kayla Patton plated Anderson from third with a RBI grounder.
BSC took the lead in the fifth when right fielder Maddie Ridgway led off with a single, was bunted over to second and scored on a Bethany Fronk hit.
Harkins (15-4) earned her second victory of the day with six strikeouts and only three hits and a walk allowed. Patton (2-8) allowed nine hits, two runs and a walk in the losing effort.
Hendrix Notes- Larabee and Fires each had two hits in the first game for the Warriors. One of Larabee's was a double.
- Martin, Anderson, Sanders and freshman center fielder
Madi Fires also recorded hits.
- Patton came up with a double in game two.
- Anderson added a single and a stolen base in the second game.
- Sophomore
Sydney Ozersky also recorded a base hit.
Birmingham-Southern Notes- The Panthers remain in second place in the SAA standings with two games to play.
- The top of the order of Ballew, Ridgway and Beck were responsible for six hits in game one. Beck had a home run and a double.
- Bassett and Garner each had two hits in game two.
- Fronk fanned six batters in 5.1 innings in her game one start.
Up NextHendrix and BSC will wrap up their series with a noon double-header on Sunday. The games will be final in the regular season before next weekend's SAA Tournament in Jackson, Miss.
