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HOUSTON – Despite allowing zero earned runs in the game, the HBU softball team dropped a tough 2-1 decision in 10 innings to the visiting Lady Demons of Northwestern State on Saturday afternoon at Husky Field.
 
Through the first four innings of the game, neither HBU (17-23, 8-16 SLC) or Northwestern State (21-29-1, 11-13 SLC) managed to get a runner past first base. In the top of the fifth, the Lady Demons' Brittany Jones drew a two-out walk and was followed by Hayley Barbazon, who reached on an error to give NSU runners on first and second. Kaylee Isenburg came up with a clutch pinch-hit single that rought pinch runner Kayla Roquemore around to score and give the Lady Demons a 1-0 lead.
 
The Huskies came alive in the sixth with Kay Schroeder reaching on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning. Heidi Jaquez followed with a single up the middle before Cecilia Bauer dropped a sacrifice bunt down to put runners at second and third with one out. Two batters later, with two outs, Nicole Shedd singled to center that scored Schroeder but Jaquez was thrown out at home trying to score from second, ending the inning with the game tied 1-1.
 
Northwestern State opened the top of the seventh with a pair of leadoff singles and would load the bases in the inning, but HBU starter Emily Mueller was able to escape unscathed, stranding three runners. Both pitchers held their opponents in check as the game went to extra innings.
 
In the 10^th, with runners starting each half inning at second base according to international tie-breaker rules, Northwestern State was able to push across one run thanks to an RBI single by Kellye Kincannon and go ahead 2-1.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, with Brooke Bushman starting at second, a strikeout and a 6-3-4 double play ended the game.
 
Mueller was the hard-luck loser in the circle for HBU, scattering nine hits over 10 innings, allowing two runs with neither being earned, striking out two and walking one. The senior falls to 8-14 on the season.
 
Jaquez led HBU offensively, going 3-for-4 with three singles. Shedd was 1-for-4 with an RBI while Bushman went 1-for-4 with a double.
 
HBU will close out the 2017 season next weekend when the Huskies host Sam Houston State for a three-game series at Husky Field. The two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 5, and a single game on Saturday, May 6, at 12:00 p.m.