BELTON, Texas - It would take nearly four hours in all, but the LeTourneau University softball team would use a four-run 10th inning to overcome seeing host University of Mary Hardin-Baylor score seven runs in the seventh to send the game to extra innings as the YellowJackets would claim a 14-12, 10-inning victory in game three of their weekend series at Dee Dillon Field in Belton, Texas on Friday, February 16th. 

The win allows for LETU to earn their first ASC win of the year, improving to 2-3 overall while the Cru fell to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play. 

Offense would not be a problem for either team in the game as the two squads would combine for 35 hits and score seven of the 26 runs in the game in extra innings. Freshman would lead the way for LeTourneau, with right fielder Jacie Gilbert going a perfect six-for-six at the plate with two runs batted in and also scoring twice. Ethel Warren produced in a big way at the top of the lineup, going four-for-five with three RBI's while also drawing one walk while Katelyn Trombley continued her hot hitting ways by blasting a three-run home run as part of a two-hit performance. Senior Ashlin Roach would also hit a home-run in the game for LETU as part of five extra-base hits by LeTourneau.

Ashley Burdine picked up her first win of the year, throwing the final four innings of the game in relief while allowing five runs on six hits. Julie Martinez would get the start in the circle for LETU, throwing four innings and giving up two runs on six hits while Faith Genoway would throw two-plus innings in the game and strike out three.

Scoreless innings were hard to come by throughout the day, but would be seen to start off the game as LETU would spoil a leadoff double by Warren to start the game by stranding her at third following a Trombley single that put runners on the corners with no outs. The Cru would not find much going offensively in their end of the first, going hitless to bring LeTourneau back to the plate. LETU would not not wait long after that to get on the board, using a Hana Bonner single to put the leadoff runner on, but would see back-to-back outs threaten to strand another runner. Following a Gilbert single to put two runners on, Kelsi Coleman would extend the inning by reaching on an error that scored Bonner before a Warren RBI single made the score 2-0 in favor of LeTourneau. The YellowJackets would then see Trombley put a blast over the center field fence for a three-run home run as all five runs in the top of the second would be unearned. 

UMHB responded to the five-run spurt for LETU by scoring one run by using a triple and a passed ball in the bottom of the second, but LeTourneau would counter by scoring three runs in the top of the third. Bonner and Shelby Barrick would get things going for the YellowJackets by collecting two straight singles to start the inning before Gilbert knocked Bonner in with a one-out RBI single that would force the Cru to make a pitching change for the second time in the game. Coleman would be hit by a pitch to load the bases which would bring up Warren, allowing the freshman to deliver again with a two RBI single to center field and put LETU in full control up 8-1. 

Things would quiet down until the bottom of the fifth when Mary Hardin-Baylor would use a leadoff walk followed by two singles to load the bases with no outs when the YellowJackets would make a call to their bullpen by bringing in Genoway. A fielder's choice kept the score at 8-1 before another fielder's choice would bring home a second run for the Cru. LeTourneau would escape the inning without any more damage and carry a six-run lead into the top of the sixth. 

A Roach two-out solo home run would put the lead for LETU back to seven runs at 9-2 as UMHB would strand a runner at third in the bottom half of the sixth with LeTourneau just one inning away from picking up their first conference win of the year. Mary Hardin-Baylor would have other plans however, as LETU would go down in order in the seventh before seeing two home runs come as part of a seven-run inning on seven hits that would tie the game at 9-9 and send things to extra-innings. 

Each team would have opportunities to push runs across in the eighth as LeTourneau would load the bases with two outs but strand all three runners on a groundout to end the top of the eighth before UMHB would use a single and wild pitch to move a runner to second before seeing their end of the eighth go empty. 

It would appear as though the ninth inning would be heading down the same path with LeTourneau seeing a leadoff walk erased on a groundout and run-down play before an Amber Filbrandt single put a runner on with two outs. Gilbert kept the inning alive with another single for LETU before Coleman would drive home Fillbrandt on an RBI double to put LeTourneau up 10-9. 

UMHB would make things complicated once again as a one-out walk would be followed up by a triple that would score the runner to tie the game at 10-10 and put the game-winning run just 60 feet away with only one out. LeTourneau would rely on their pitching and defense however, getting a groundout and flyout to end the inning and send things to the 10th. 

The international tiebreaker rule would be put into effect in the 10th, with Trombley starting the inning at second before a wild pitch moved the freshman to third with no outs. Junior Macey Mize would double to allow LeTourneau to reclaim the lead at 11-10 before Bonner would reach on an error that would score Roach after she walked to leadoff the inning. A sacrifice fly by Fillbrandt brought home Mize to bring home a third run in the inning with Gilbert capping off the four-run 10th with a Gilbert RBI single scoring Bonner. 

In the bottom of the 10th, Mary Hardin-Baylor would see two quick outs for LETU threaten to end the game without any potential comeback coming into play, but a stolen base and hit batter would keep the inning alive and put runners on the corners. After a second stolen base to move both runners into scoring position, a two-RBI double would cut the LeTourneau lead in half as the game-tying run would come up to bat. The threat would be averted with a game-ending pop out to third base as the YellowJackets would claim the victory three hours and 46 minutes after the game started.