SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College softball team nearly came all the way back from a nine-run deficit but came up just short, falling 10-8 to Hendrix College on Saturday afternoon before the game was called after five innings due to extreme temperatures. Game two of the doubleheader was also canceled after wind chill dipped into the teens in Sherman. The 'Roos are now 1-4 overall on the year.
Hendrix jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after the top of the first, and Emily Stockalper added an RBI single in the second to make it a four-run game. Two more runs came across in the third, and Deva Bharne drove in two runs as part of a three-run fourth to make it 9-0 in favor of the Warriors.
Austin College's bats finally came to life in the bottom of the fourth, with Lauren Mara singling home two runs, and two errors opened the door to another two runs to make it 9-4. Nikki Sanders homered in the fifth to put Hendrix up 10-4, but Austin College plated four runs in the bottom half of the inning to cut it to a two-run margin. Beth Massey and Felicia Rivera each drove in a run in the frame.
However, the 'Roos would run out of time, stranding the game-tying run on second as Hendrix managed to escape with the win.
Mara and Massey each went 1-for-3 with two RBI, and Kat Wright went 2-for-2. Wright took the loss in the circle, surrendering nine runs (seven earned) on six hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.