TWU takes three from Wildcats
ACU's post-season hopes dealt severe blow by Pioneers
ABILENE – The ACU Wildcats' hopes of reaching the Lone Star Conference Post-Season Tournament were dealt a severe blow over the weekend as they lost three of four games to Texas Woman's at Wells Field.
The Wildcats, who entered the series trailing the Pioneers by one game for third place in the LSC South Division, are now three games out of third with just four conference games left to play. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, those four games are against Angelo State, which is 40-6 overall, 12-4 in division play and ranked in the nation's top 10. That four-game set will be played April 25-26 at Wells Field.
To get into the tournament, ACU (24-25 overall and 7-9 in LSC play) must sweep the Rambelles and hope Tarleton State can sweep Texas Woman's (10-6 in LSC play). One loss by the Wildcats or one win by the Pioneers will leave the Wildcats out of the post-season tournament.
The Wildcats lost both games of the Friday doubleheader, 5-4 and 10-1, before splitting Saturday's twinbill, winning the opener 4-2 before losing the series finale 3-2.
The Pioneers jumped on the Wildcats in the first inning of the first game by scoring three runs to set the tone for the series. Jami Ingram had a two-run double in the inning, and the Pioneers never looked back.
ACU scored a run in the second and tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth with three runs of its own. Robin Woodall had a two-run home run and Shauna Bragg an RBI double to drive in the three runs. However, TWU got the game-winning run in the sixth on an Ingram solo home run.
The Pioneers dominated the second game Friday, winning by the run-rule after six innings. Jennifer Collins was 3 for 4 with four RBI, Teresa Flores and Amanda Arnold each drove in a pair of runs. Heather Hicks had a solo home run in the fifth inning for ACU's only run of the game.
Christina Yorkey – who started all four games on the mound for ACU – picked up the Wildcats' lone win in Saturday's doubleheader opener. Yorkey scattered seven hits over seven innings, allowing just two runs while striking out four Pioneer hitters.
ACU put up two runs in the first inning and single runs in the fifth and sixth for the win. Woodall had a two-run homer in the first, her eighth round-tripper of the season. Her eight home runs this season is a new single-season school record and those eight home runs are a new ACU career record. Her teammate, Katie Bryan, had the previous season record (seven this season), while Lynee Velasco hit seven home runs from 1999-2001.
In Saturday's second game, TWU jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a run in the first and two more in the third to quickly grab the advantage. ACU out-hit TWU, 8-7, but two Wildcat errors proved to be costly.
