ABILENE -- The ACU Wildcats came up with one late-game rally, but couldn't make it two Tuesday night as they settled for a doubleheader split against St. Edward's in non-conference softball action at Wells Field.
ACU rallied for five runs in its final three at-bats to take a 6-5 win in the first game, but couldn't finish off a seventh-inning rally in an 8-6 loss in the nightcap. The split leaves ACU at 19-27 on the season, while the Hilltoppers are 30-18.
The Wildcats will close out their home schedule this weekend when they host Tarleton State in a three-game Lone Star Conference series. Saturday's doubleheader is set for a 5 p.m. start, while Sunday's series finale is set to start at 1 p.m.
In Tuesday's opener, the Hilltoppers jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Wildcats scratched across a run in the fourth and the game-tying run in the bottom of the sixth. That sixth-inning run was a long solo home run to left by
Brianna Fowlkes, who would play a bigger role later in the game.
After the Hilltoppers were able to get two runs in the seventh to take a 4-2 lead, Fowlkes came up big again. With two outs and
Jenny Kulp on base, Fowlkes flicked a home run out to right field to tie the game at 4-4.
The Hilltoppers got a run in the top of the eighth to take a 5-4 lead, but the Wildcats wouldn't die.
Wth one out and one on in the bottom of the ninth,
Candice Miller singled and
Ashley Peterson singled to load the bases. Leadoff hitter
Shawna Barrow then pulled a fastball down the right field line, dropping it in inches fair and driving in two runs to give the Wildcats a 6-5 win.
In the nightcap the Hilltoppers got four runs in the second -- three coming in on a Jenny Varteressian home run -- before scratching out two runs in the bottom of the second, both coming in on
Nancy Sawyers' ninth home run of the season.
ACU posted single runs in the third and fourth innings to make it a 5-4 game.
But the Hilltoppers scored three times in the top of the seventh on RBI singles by Lisa Paul and Courtney Lavender and a solo home run by Stacy Giles.
ACU, though, wouldn't go away in the bottom half of the inning.
Andi Anti led off the frame with a walk, and then pinch-runner
Genevie Ramirez scored on
Jenny Kulp's two-run home Fowlkes then reached on an error before Sawyers struck out and
Stephanie Tingle popped out.
Candice Miller, though, singled to keep the inning alive, brining pinch-hitter Peterson to the plate. She struck out, though, as the Hilltoppers were able to earn the split.
