Abilene, Texas - The Centenary Ladies softball team split a non-conference doubleheader against Hardin Simmons on Saturday afternoon, losing game one by a score of 6-3 and then taking game two, 3-1 as the Maroon and White wrapped up play in the Hardin Simmons University/McMurry University Spring Break Tournament.
Freshman Cambry Bates (Readhimer, La.) belted her first-career home run, a go-ahead three-run shot, in the top of the sixth to propel the Ladies to a comeback win in game two of the doubleheader. The Ladies (9-8) finished the three-day event at 2-4. Centenary lost a pair of games on Thursday, 5-1 to McMurry, and 4-1 to Concordia (TX) and then split on Friday, defeating McMurry 5-3 in eight innings and falling to Howard Payne by a score of 9-0.
Centenary ended the weekend on a high note with the 3-1 victory in game two after losing the first game. Game two was scoreless until the fifth inning and then Hardin Simmons scored a run in the bottom half to take a 1-0 lead. bates came through with the clutch homer then the Ladies' pitching staff shut the door the next two innings to earn the win.
Freshman Hailee Leger (Belle Chasse, La.) picked up the win in the circle to improved her record to 4-4. She allowed just one unearned run and four hits in five innings of work with no walks and four strikeouts. Junior pitcher Ashley Hunter (Benton, La.) relieved her and pitched the final two innings to earn the save, her first of the season. Hunter allowed just two hits and had one strikeout.
Freshman right fielder Mackenzie Cox (Alexandria, La.) collected three more hits on Saturday after four on Friday. She now has four multi-hit games this season and leads the team in batting average (.326) and hits with 15.
Centenary returns to conference play next weekend as the Ladies welcome St. Thomas to the Centenary Softball Complex for a three-game Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference series. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 20 at Noon and 2 p.m. and a single game on Sunday the 21st at Noon.
Live stats and live video are available for all home games. A link to the Ladies' complete schedule can be found here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/sball/2020-21/schedule
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