STEPHENVILLE – Friday was all too familiar for the Wildcats in an unfortunate way as they dropped a pair of games at Tarleton State. The familiar scene was a one-run defeat in the second game losing 3-2 after dropping game one, 5-0.
In game one the Wildcats could not recover from five runs in the first two innings capped off on a three-run homerun by the TexAnns.
A lead-off walk lead to two runs in the first as Shelby Hall picked up her 14th loss scattering only five hits. Tarleton State added a back-breaking and controversial three-run homer in the second from Julie Norris.
From there a pitcher's duel ensued as the TexAnns shut down the Wildcat batters for starter Julie Norris. Norris allowed six Wildcat hits in a complete game shutout. Hall was equally effective through the final four innings, but received no run support in the loss.
Nancy Sawyers picked up two hits in the first game and provided the only runs for ACU in the second. Sawyers blasted a two-run homerun to left for her seventh of the season tying the game at 2-2 in the sixth inning.
Brittany Rexroat battled allowing 13 hits but stranded 11 TexAnn runners in the loss.
With the score tied at 2 in the bottom of the seventh first basemen Brittany Terry singled up the middle as Caitlin Nabors throw to the plate was late giving Tarleton State the one-run victory.
The loss drops ACU to 4-12 in one-run ballgames and severely hurts their chances of getting into next month's Lone Star Conference Tournament. The Wildcats who are 18-26 overall and 3-8 in the LSC South will finish their series with Tarleton State Saturday with first pitch scheduled for noon.
