ACU in driver's seat after 10-2 win over WTAMU
4/25/2009 8:45:00 PM | Softball
Box Score
Photos
LSC Tournament Web Site
ABILENE ? Friday West Texas A&M exploded for 19 runs in a 19-1 win over Central Oklahoma while Abilene Christian's offense squeaked by Midwestern State with a 3-0 win. However, in the second day of the Lone Star Conference Softball Championship Tournament, it was the Wildcats' bats that came alive with ACU run-ruling West Texas A&M 10-2 Saturday at Poly Wells Field.
The Wildcats are now in the driver's seat to win the south site of LSC Postseason Tournament. ACU will take on Central Oklahoma at 11 a.m. Sunday in the championship round of the tournament. ACU is unbeaten and needs just one win to advance to next weekend's best-of-three championship series against either Angelo State or Southeastern Oklahoma State. If ACU wins the first game Sunday, the Abilene portion of the tournament is over. But if the Bronchos win the first game, the tournament will go to the if-necessary game.
If ACU wins Sunday, the Wildcats will host either the Rambelles or Savage Storm this Friday and Saturday in the best-of-three series to determine the LSC champion.
WTAMU scored the first two runs in the first game Saturday against ACU. In the first inning Katluyn Witte doubled home Kasey Henderson to give the Lady Buffs a 1-0 advantage. Then in the second, WTAMU increased its lead to 2-0 with an RBI double from Amanda Farr that scored Audrey Wallace.
The Wildcats responded in the bottom of the second when Katie Cornelison hit a run-scoring single with Nancy Sawyers crossing the place after reaching on a double.
However, it was Sawyers in the bottom of the third who gave the Wildcats the lead in a big way. With one out and the bases loaded, the junior third baseman hit a towering shot down the left field line. Thanks to a 30 mile-an-hour south wind blowing from left to right field, the ball wrapped from foul to fair territory just inside the leftfield foul pole and ACU took a 5-2 advantage on Sawyers' second grand slam of the season and eighth homer of the year. Through two games for the tournament, Sawyers has seven RBI with a home run and three doubles.
Sawyers helped ACU extend the lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth when she doubled home Melissa Rodriguez for her fifth RBI of the day and third hit of the afternoon. Then, the Wildcats loaded the bases for Brook Whittlesey who hit a single to left field to score pinch runner Kaleigh Johnson and Brianna Fowlkes came around to score on the play when Erin Hartigan muffed the ball in left field. With an 8-2 lead, Jessica Shiery came to the plate and ended the game early when she drove home both Whittlesey and Shelby McElvain for the game-sealing two-run double.
With an eight-run lead the game was called due to the run rule. Jacque Gregoire picked up win No. 21 on the season to move to 21-4 throwing four innings and allowing two runs. Kim Partin pitched one perfect inning in relief striking out two.
Lindsey Wright picked up the loss for the Lady Buffs on the pitcher's circle falling to 12-5. Wright allowed five of the runs while reliever Chantiel Pearson surrendered the other five runs in the final 2.1 innings.
ACU moved to 41-11 on the season while the Lady Buffs fell to 35-20 and face elimination in the LSC Softball Tournament.
