The Temple College softball team opened the 2018 season with a split against No. 7 Howard College at the Danny Scott Sports Complex at Temple College. Game one was a come from behind 6-5 win with freshman Daisy Gonzalez hitting a 3-run homerun in the bottom of the third to put the Leopards on the board and to take a 3-2 lead. The Leopards immediately relinquished the lead when Howard scored three in the top of the fourth. The Leopards scored one in the fifth and two in the sixth with RBIs form Kelsie Murie and Kristen Grothues and held on for the 6-5 win. Kylie Mica and Kaitlyn Jones each had a double in the win. Freshman Mikaela Sako entered the game in relief and earned the win on the mound.
The Leopards were unable to complete the comeback in game two with the Howard College Hawks taking the 7-4 win. The Leopards gave up six runs in the top of the second and were held scoreless until they pushed one run across in the fourth. The Leopards gave up one more run in the top of the seventh before attempting to comeback by scoring three in the seventh but were unable to continue the rally for another come-from-behind win. Freshman Daisy Gonzalez got the loss on the mound. Sophomore Lindsey Taylor hit a pair of doubles and Jones added another double this game, while freshman Lenzi Stewart drove in a couple runs.
The Leopards are 1-1 on the year and will host a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 11:00 a.m. against Western Texas College.