CLARKSVILLE, Ark. - The Hendrix College softball team held an early lead in each of their games on Wednesday afternoon, but saw both disappear as they fell 2-1 and 7-6 to the University of the Ozarks Eagles in Clarksville.

Nikki Sanders went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a walk and a run in the two games combined, while Michaela Larabee went 4-for-7 with a pair of stolen bases and a run scored. 

In game one, Autumn Martin tossed a great game from the circle, going six innings and allowing just one earned run on six hits while striking out two. 

The Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. With two outs, Morgan Fires ripped an RBI triple to right-center, scoring Samantha Schaefer all the way from first to give the Orange and Black a lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, Ozarks tied the game with the small ball approach. The Eagles' leadoff hitter was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a Hendrix error, and was bunted home on a squeeze play. Ozarks attempted three consecutive bunts, but good defensive execution by the Warriors limited the damage, stranding two Eagles and maintaining the 1-1 tie. 

The next inning, Ozarks took the lead for good. The Eagles drove home a run with a two-out single to take a 2-1 lead into the top of the sixth.

Hendrix had two cracks at tying the game, with their best chance coming in the sixth. Sanders mashed a double down the left field line, but was left stranded in scoring position. Hendrix was retired in order in the seventh and fell to the Eagles 2-1 in the first contest.

In game two, the Warriors racked up three runs in the first inning to give Kayla Patton some run support. Martin and Larabee began the game with back-to-back singles and performed a double steal to put runners on second and third with no outs. Martin scored on a wild pitch and Anderson brought home Larabee with an RBI single to make it 2-0. Two batters later, Deva Bharne hit a single to the left side and got caught in a run down. With some intelligent baserunning, Bharne was able to stay alive in the rundown long enough to allow Anderson to score, making it 3-0.

The Eagles took the lead with a five-run third inning, using five hits and an error to take a 5-3 lead. Hendrix chipped away with a run in the fourth on an RBI single from Martin and tied the game in the fifth with another RBI single, this time from Madi Fires. Ozarks regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double to make it 6-5.

Trailing by one in the top of the seventh, the Warriors generated a run, coming back to tie the game for the second time. Shelby Anderson led off with a single, moved into scoring position on a sacrifice by Sanders, and scored on an RBI groundout from Bharne, locking the score at 6-6. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Ozarks' Hannah Oler ended the game with one swing, hitting a walk-off home run to give the Eagles a 7-6 victory.

Hendrix Notes
- Michaela Larabee extended her hitting streak to nine games, the longest active streak on the team, while Madi Fires extended her hitting streak to eight games.
- In game two, Hendrix stole five bases, tying the most in a single game this season (Centre, March 22).
- In her last three starts, Autumn Martin has allowed just three earned runs in 18.0 innings pitched for a 1.16 ERA over that span.
- Hendrix has lost seven games by just one run this season.

Ozarks Notes
- Brooke Hoffsommer, Hannah Oler, Kaley Coppock and Bethany Mason all had two hits apiece in game two.
- Oler's walk-off home run was her third of the season, tying for the Ozarks team lead.
- Hallie Gilbert allowed just one run on four hits in a complete game in the first contest.

Up Next
Hendrix resumes Southern Athletic Association play on Saturday when they play host to Berry College for the first two of a four-game series, beginning at noon.