Clarksville, Ark. - Hendrix rebounded from its series loss to Sewanee last weekend with two wins over in-state foe Ozarks on Wednesday night.
Game 1 (W, 5-3)
Ozarks drew first blood with a SAC bunt in the 1st inning, but Hendrix responded with a 2-spot in the 4th inning to take a 2-1 lead.
Andie Houser led off the 4th with a single into left field. With two outs and Houser at second base,
Tori Maldonado singled through the left side to put runners on the corners for Layton Rodgers. The freshman laid down a bunt for an infield hit to score Houser and tie the game.
Betty Wolfe then smoked a double to left center to score Maldonado for the second run.
After Ozarks equalized in the home half of the inning, Hendrix put up two more in the 5th.
Paizley Vaught led off the inning with a walk, and reached third on a one-out double by Houser. Then,
Kendyl Patton sent a two-out single to right field to score Vaught and Houser for a 4-2 lead.
The Eagles loaded the bags in the home half of the 5th, but left all three runners stranded as
Emma Salis (W, 5-2) was able to induce a fly out for the third out.
Houser completed her 3-3 game at the plate with a two-out single down the right field line to drive in
Peyton Frady after the sophomore reached on a bunt.
Ashlynn Fowler entered in relief of Salis in the 6th and recorded two strikeouts while allowing one run across in the inning.
In the 7th, Fowler earned her first save of the season by putting the Eagles down in order to secure the 5-3 win.
Game 2 (W, 8-6)
Ozarks once again drew first blood by plating a run each in the second and third innings, but the Warriors immediately responded in the 4th with a 4-spot.
Hendrix loaded the bags, and with one out on the board,
Austynn Caudle smoked a double through the left side to score
Peyton Frady and
Betty Wolfe.
Rylee Harris scored the third run of the inning by taking advantage of an error by the pitcher. Caudle was eventually brought in as Rogers grounded out to the shortstop.
Ozarks took a 5-4 lead with a 3-spot in the 5th, and tacked on another in the 6th to take a 6-4 lead in the 7th.
And that is when the Warriors put on their rally caps and went to work.
Rogers tried to get the rally started with a one-out single through the left side, but was thrown out on the force at second after Houser subsequently slapped a ground ball to the shortstop.
With two outs and Houser at first,
Maggie Groves worked a good at-bat and reached first on a walk to put two runners on.
Samantha Wood singled to centerfield to score Houser, before Wolfe drove in the tying run with a double down the left field line. With two on, Vaught kept the party rolling with a 2-RBI single to left field and score what would become the winning run as the Warriors took an 8-6 lead.
With the game on the line,
Emma Salis (W, 6-2) put the Eagles down in order to kill off any comeback attempt and secure the sweep in Wednesday's doubleheader.
Salis entered in relief in the 6th and retired all five batters she faced in 1.2 innings of work.
Sadie Lewis got the start in the circle and gave the Warriors 4.0 strong innings, scattering four hits and only allowing two runs across while striking out two hitters.
Up Next: Hendrix (9-23, 2-13) will wrap up league play this weekend with a three game series in Jackson versus the Millsaps Majors. First pitch for Game 1 is set for 7:00 PM on Friday evening.
