COLUMBUS, Miss. – The W softball picked up a split of a non-conference doubleheader versus Hendrix College in a Sunday matinee at Don Usher Field. The Owls (8-4) lost the opener, 4-3, before coming back to win the second game against the Warriors (1-1), 9-8 in eight innings, to salvage the split.
 
Game one saw HC jump out a 4-0 lead after roughing up MUW starter Jade Rushing for seven hits and all four earned runs in her 3.1 innings in the circle. Brooklyn Rhodes came on to restore order with 3.2 frames of scoreless relief, permitting two hits and picking up three strikeouts.
 
But while Rhodes paved the way for a possible Owls' comeback, her team's bats managed just three singles and one double (by Riley Phillips). The W tallied one run in the fourth and two in the fifth, but all three were unearned and were the by-product of a pair of Warriors' errors.
 
While Rhodes was superb once again from the circle in game one, she let her bat do the talking in game two. Rhodes went 3-for-4, had a double, scored twice and drove in a run to cue the Owls' nine-hit attack.
 
Maiya Joe was 2-for-4 with a double, a run and a run batted in. Lilly Harrison was thr team's th9rd player with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
 
MUW once again found itself playing from behind, after Hendrix plated three runs in the top of the first off of Owls' starter, Phallyn Clark. But the MUW bats responded by matching the innings, with one in the first, two in the second, and three in the third to lead 6-3.
 
But The W's offense would fall silent for the next three at-bats. Meanwhile, the Warriors chipped away with single runs in the fourth and fifth, before taking an 8-6 lead with a three-run seventh.
 
Now staring at the possibility of being swept, MUW battled back to force extra innings. Rhodes led off with a double. Then, with Brooklyn Wood pinch-running, Lynnzie Kennedy singled to drive home Wood. That brought up Chloe McClain, who laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt toward third. McClain was out at first, but Kennedy kept going to third. The throw across the diamond was errant at third, allowing Kennedy to easily cross the plate with the tying run, 8-8.
 
In the eighth, with the tie-breaker in effect and a placed runner at second, MUW reliever Baylee McWilliams induced a fly ball to left, issued a walk, and then got a strikeout. With two down, a fielding error by The W loaded the bases. McWilliams bounced back and got an inning-ending strikeout with no runs coming across.
 
Now it was the Owls' turn.
 
Emilee Slade was the placed runner at second and, perhaps, The W's most clutch hitter due up in Phillips. Phillips slammed the ball up the middle for a single, with the speedy Slade crossing with the game-winning run.
 
McWilliams (1-0) was the pitcher of record, with 4.0 innings of relief. She struck out five and walked four.