ABILENE, Texas – The Concordia Texas softball team outlasted Hardin-Simmons in a back-and-forth affair, securing an 8-7 win in the series finale Saturday.
 
Kylie Woods tallied three hits, including two doubles, and two RBIs, and Erica Riley picked up three hits to go along with an RBI.
 
Chaynau Johnson earned the win in the circle, turning in a stellar effort in relief. She tossed 3.2 one-run innings, earning a strikeout and closing out the game's final innings.
 
The Tornados' offense was firing on all cylinders early as they plated five runs in the opening frame. Ellie Congalton led off with a double, eventually stealing home to score the first CTX run, and Riley brought home Megan Hooper on an RBI single. Next, Woods belted an RBI double to right field, and Nadya Lopez brought Woods home with an RBI bunt single. Finally, Zaleigh Perez peppered an RBI single up the middle, sealing the five-run first inning.
 
Hardin-Simmons answered in the bottom half, pushing three runs across on four hits and cutting the lead to 5-3.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Cowgirls chipped away again, providing an RBI single to bring the score to 5-4.
 
Hardin-Simmons took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring a pair of runs on three hits and a CTX error.
 
The Tornados answered in the following frame, beginning with an RBI fielder's choice from the bat of Riley Ward. Kylie Pavlicek followed with an RBI fielder's choice of her own, scoring Emily Schmuck and putting CTX ahead 7-6.
 
Woods picked up her second RBI in the top of the sixth, bringing Hooper around to score with an RBI single and extending the CTX lead to 8-6.
 
From this point, Johnson slammed the door shut, ending the game with a punch out and capping off the 8-6 series finale win.
 
The Tornados will return home for their final regular season series, opening the weekend with a Friday doubleheader at 3 p.m. and playing a single game along with a senior day ceremony on Saturday at 1 p.m.