SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College softball team split its Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference-opening doubleheader with the University of Dallas on Saturday, falling 8-0 in game one before holding on for a 10-8 victory in game two. The 'Roos are now 2-8 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

In game one, the two teams were scoreless through three, with the Crusaders finally breaking open the scoring with three runs in the top of the fourth. Dallas added another run in the fifth to make it a 4-0 game, and four more runs came across in the sixth to push it to an 8-0 lead for the visitors.

Austin College was limited to one hit – a triple by Jaide Vidal in the bottom of the sixth – in the loss, while Courtney Gonzales took the loss in the circle after surrendering four runs (three earned) on nine hits in 4-2 innings of work.

The 'Roos jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game two after Ashley Mayorga scored on a wild pitch and Gonzales drove in Ashley Elliott, but Dallas got one run back in the second. However, the 'Roos pushed four runs across in the third to take control, with Gonzales doubling home a pair of runs to help make it a 6-1 game.

The lead grew to 9-1 in the fourth, with Madison Mahaffey doubling home two runs in the inning, but the Crusaders erupted for seven runs in the fifth to trim it to a 9-8 margin. Mahaffey delivered an insurance run with an RBI single in the sixth, however, and the 'Roos were able to close the door in the seventh.

Gonzales finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and Elliott and Mahaffey each went 2-for-4 with Elliott scoring three times and Mahaffey driving in three. Alyssa McDowell went the distance to earn the win, giving up eight runs (five earned) on nine hits.

Austin College and the Crusaders will be back in action tomorrow to complete their four-game series with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m. at Old Settlers Park.

Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.