The YellowJackets started their conference play by earning a split in their home opener with University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. LeTourneau started off the doubleheader with a 1-7 loss before coming back to win the last game of the day 4-3 over the Crusaders on an Ashlin Roach walk-off home run.
 
LETU improves to 3-1 on the season and an even 1-1 in the American Southwest Conference after opening day of league play.
 
In the first outing, the Crusaders took an early 1-0 start on the YellowJackets by scoring fast in the first inning. An LETU error would put the first run on the bags, which later was brought in off a sacrifice fly. LeTourneau was able to hold off the Cru offense, ending the inning with one left on base.
 
A single by sophomore Macey Mize down the left field line would start the bottom of the fourth inning for the YellowJackets. Freshman Shelby Barrick would come up to the plate to collect an RBI after singling to center field. Junior Bailey Woodard and senior Whitney Judd would also contribute singles to load the bases for the Jackets, but the Crusaders made quick work to get out of the inning with the scored tied, 1-1.
 
The Crusaders went on to score six runs in the fifth and sixth innings to race ahead 7-1 while icing the Jackets' bats for the rest of the game. Junior Ashley Burdine drops to 1-1 with the loss today, allowing seven runs on 11 hits in 5.1 innings. Freshman Julie Cantu pitched in relief, going 1.2 innings and allowing no hits and no runs.
 
Mize went 2-for-3 in game one with two singles, one of which contributed to the lone run of game one. Woodard also went 2-for-3 by recording a single and a double.
 
In the second game, LeTourneau came out with hot bats in the first inning. A RBI single down the left field line by junior Ashlin Roach sparked the hot hitting. Back-to-back RBI singles by Barrick and Woodard brought in Roach and freshman Hayley Hurley, who had reached on a fielding error committed by the Crusader's pitcher earlier in the inning. The Crusaders were able to stop the YellowJackets at 3-0 in the first inning.
 
Bats for both teams stayed cold after the first inning until the Crusaders came out in the top of the third inning. A walk and a pair of errors set up the runs for UMHB to bring in from a RBI single and RBI double that tied the game up at 3-3.
 
Sophomore Faith Genoway pitched a great game, holding off the Crusaders after their big inning by only allowing three hits in the next four innings.
 
After a very productive top of the seventh inning for the Crusaders, the YellowJackets were able to stop them from scoring going into their last at bat. On the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh Roach blasted a solo walk-off homerun over the left field fence giving LETU the 4-3 win.
 
"It was great to get our first conference victory, especially after a lack luster performance in the first game," said head coach Stan Wells after the win. "We had a great pitching performance from Faith Genoway and some timely hitting. And it never hurts to get a walk off bomb in the bottom of the seventh. The team really competed all day and that allowed us to preserve the 4-3 victory in the second game."
 
Genoway collected her first win as a YellowJacket, allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings with three strikeouts.
 
Roach went 2-for-4 in the last game with a single and homerun as well as two runs and two RBIs to finish off the day. Mize and Freshman Cassie Copeland went 1-for-2, both with singles.
 
LeTourneau will continue their series with the UMHB Crusaders tomorrow with another doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. at the Joyce Family Athletic Village. The first game of the day will complete the conference series with the final game counting as a non-conference contest for both teams.