Austin College Softball Splits at Ozarks

CLARKSVILLE, Ark. - The Austin College softball team split its non-conference doubleheader at the University of the Ozarks, falling 6-0 in game one before having an offensive explotion in a 15-7 game two victory on Friday evening. The 'Roos are now 11-9 overall on the year.

The 'Roos struggled to get anything going at the plate in game one, managing four hits in their 6-0 defeat against the Eagles. Ozarks plated a pair of runs in the first inning and went on top 5-0 with three runs in the fourth, before tacking on one final tally in the bottom of the sixth. Lyndsey Busch was 2-for-2 to lead Austin College offensively, with Faith Butler and Chyrsi Hemby each coming away with a hit in the loss. Alexus Johnson went the distance in the circle for Austin College, giving up six runs, five of which were earned, on nine hits. Paige Morton went 2-for-3 with a home run to lead Ozarks.

Austin College wasted no time getting out to a big game two lead, scoring five runs in the top of the first. Chyrsi Hemby ripped a two-run double to get the scoring started, with Carrie Johnson adding an RBI single to bring Hemby around. Hailie Swiatkowski belted a two-run homer to cap the big inning for the 'Roos. Tori Fowler drove in a run in the second and Hemby followed with a two-run home run to put Austin College ahead 8-0 after two innings of play.

Morton got Ozarks on the board in the bottom of the second with a homer, and four more runs would come across in the inning to pull the Eagles to within three runs at 8-5. Carrie Johnson and Hannah King each drove in a run in the fourth to push it to 10-5, and Trista Conforto added a two-run single and Butler had an RBI base-knock of her own in the sixth to make it 13-5. The Eagles cut it to 13-7 in the bottom of the sixth, but Hemby knocked in another run and came around to score on a Kalee Rush single to make it 15-7, and that's how things would end.

Swiatkowski got the win for Austin College, tossing a complete game and giving up seven runs, six earned, on seven hits. Hemby led Austin College offensively, going 3-for-5 with a homer, a double, five RBI, and four runs scored, and Elizabeth Preston was 3-for-5 with a triple in the win.