FORNEY - The LeTourneau YellowJacket softball team tallied 18 total hits and scored 17 runs as they knocked off the Hardin-Simmons Cowgirls at a neutral site, 9-6 and 8-0 (6). With the win, LeTourneau continues their great start as they improve to 8-2 on the year.

In Game One, Hardin-Simmons took an early 1-0 lead on a double steal as the Jackets looked to respond in the top of the second. Junior Sara Whitehead led the inning off with a single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Shelby Borders. After a groundout by sophomore Brooklyn Greene, Whitehead bolted for third and ended up scoring on the play as the Cowgirls first baseman overthrew her target.

Freshman Karen Kubacak settled in and went to work the next two innings, not allowng a hit and keeping Hardin-Simmons guessing. 

The Jackets broke the game open in the top of the fourth as Borders led things off with a one out double. After Greene reached on an error and pinch runner Erin Paterson moved to second on a stolen base. Junior Chloe Cooper put the ball in play to score a run and another run crossed home on an error. 

After a RBI single by from freshman Megan Hill, senior Juliana Tuel came to the plate and blasted a three run homer to right field to increase LeTourneau's lead to 6-1. Junior Jourdan Glover topped the inning off with a double off a wall to put the Jackets in control 7-1.

Hardin-Simmons did not go down easily, respondeding with three runs in the following inning to cut the deficit in half.

However, Cooper came through again with another RBI and another run came across on an error to increase the lead back out to 9-4.

From there, junior Kaylee Pritchett came on in relief and finished off the Cowgirls as LeTourneau took Game One, 9-6. 

Kubacak got the start and the win as she goes to 4-1 on the season. She pitched 3.1 innings, giving up four hits and only one earned run. Pritchett picked up a save, pitching 3.2 innings and striking out three. 

Offensively, Tuel was 1-for-4 with three RBIs on the homer while Cooper was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs. Hill added a 2-for-3 day with a RBI while junior Anna Winter was also 2-for-3. 

Junior Taylor Thibodeaux got the start in Game Two and after walking two batters, got out of a jam with no harm done.

LeTourneau switched to the home team in the second game as Tuel led things off with walk. After stealing second and then moved over to third on a bunt by freshman Taylor Kaderli, Winter drove her in with a deep sacrifice fly to center for a 1-0 lead.

After another scoreless innning by Thibodeaux, LeTourneau loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single by Borders. Hill showed patience in her at bat and forced a four pitch walk to score a run and extend the lead to 2-0.

From there, Thibodeaux continued to dominate as she took a no hitter into the fifth inning. 

Hill doubled home another run in the fourth and a grand slam that was absolutely crushed by Greene opened the game wide open in the fifth. A sac bunt by freshman Danielle Cotton that turned into an error scored the final run for the 8-0 win in the sixth.

Thibodeaux pitched a complete game shutout, going all six innings while striking out four and only allowing two hits. 

Offensively, Greene was 1-for-2 with the grand slam while Hill was 1-for-2 with two RBIs. The Jackets were great on the basepaths, stealing five bases in the second game.

LeTourneau returns to action tomorrow afternoon as they will compete in the ASC Crossover Tournament featuring East and West matchups from all 14 teams. The Jackets will take on Schreiner University at 12:30 p.m. followed by a rematch with Mary Hardin-Baylor at 5 p.m. All games will take place in Farmers Branch.