CONNORS 5-4, ICC 1-5 – The Connors State Cowgirls split their softball doubleheader with Independence Community College on Sunday, winning the opening game 5-1 and losing the second game 5-4.

Connors is now 2-2 on the season and returns to action on Friday at the Murray State tournament in Tishomingo, playing Paris, Texas and Northeast Texas Community College.

Connors State All-American Paige Boling led the Cowgirls hitting attack on the day with three hits and plating four runs in the doubleheader. Candace Kellar had two base hits.

Lauren Robertson pitched five innings for the Cowgirls to get her first win of the year, giving up two base hits, striking out five. Jerelyn Long pitched the final two innings to get the save, allowing one hit, striking out two.

In the nightcap, Jordan Jones started inside the circle for Connors and was replaced by Long, who took the loss and is now 1-1 on the season.

ALABAMA 3, OSU 1 – The 15th-ranked Oklahoma State softball team lost 3-1 to the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide on the final day of the SEC/ACC/Big 12 Challenge. OSU finished the weekend 0-3 and is now 4-4 on the season.

Cowgirl senior Kelsey Anchors tied the game up in the fourth inning with a solo home run over the right field fence, breaking up the perfect game Jackie Traina had been throwing. It was also the only hit of the game for Oklahoma State.

OSU sophomore Simone Freeman absorbed the loss and is now 2-2 on the season. She threw four innings, allowed nine hits for three runs, struck out six and walked none.

NSU 1-0, MWSU 3-9 – Sarah Elliott belted a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning and Missouri Western beat Northeastern State, 3-1, in the first of two softball games here Sunday afternoon. The Griffons (9-2) scored seven runs in the sixth inning of the nightcap to shutout NSU (4-3) 9-0.

Rachel Powers hit a solo home run for the RiverHawks in the sixth and that tied the game at 1-all after Missouri Western had plated a run earlier in the inning. Cayce Coleman (2-1) suffered her first loss of the year for NSU in the circle.

In the second game, Annalee Rubio tossed a four-hitter to run her record to 2-2. Sara Dornelas (0-3) took the loss and gave up 10 MWSU hits.

The Griffons scored all they needed in the first with a two-run frame.