PARAGOULD, Ark. - Hendrix dropped both games of their doubleheader with Williams Baptist in Paragould to open the 2026 season.
Game 1 (L, 2-1)
The Warriors drew first blood in Game 1 but were unable to capitalize on their early lead, falling 2-1 to the hosts in the season opener.
Hendrix went down 1-2-3 in the first two innings before
Sophia Shuff led off the top of the third with a walk and reached second on a sacrifice bunt by
Sadie Lewis. After
Bell Jaramillo moved Shuff to third on a groundout,
Emerson Naismith brought Shuff in with her first collegiate hit and run batted-in.
The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back hits to lead off the inning, then scored the go-ahead run with two outs in the sixth after a one-out Hendrix fielding error put the go-ahead run on the basepath.
Peyton Frady had smoked a one-out double to left center in the top half of the inning but was left stranded at second after the subsequent two hitters were retired. Hendrix went 1-2-3 in the top of the 7th to end the game.
Naismith and
Oakley Cotropia both collected hits in their collegiate debuts.
Emmaline Trosclair was solid in the circle, allowing just two runs on six hits in 6.0 full innings to go along with two strikeouts.
Game 2 (L, 3-0)
Hendrix was shut out in the second half of the doubleheader was they were limited to just two hits across the seven innings. Williams Baptist plated two runs in the first and added another in the sixth for good measure.
Rylee Harris notched one hit in the leadoff position, and
Alyssa Sornia also recorded a hit in the 8-hole.
Emma Salis followed up Trosclair's Game 1 performance with a solid outing of her own, scattering five hits across six innings with two strikeouts.
Hendrix will open up conference play next weekend as they host the University of St. Thomas (TX) at Warrior Softball Field for a three-game set. First pitch for Game 1 will be at 6:00 PM on Friday evening.
