ABILENE – It was a tale of two games on Saturday for ACU as the Wildcats opened the 2011 Whitten Inn Classic at Wells Field in Abilene. A strong hitting performance propelled ACU to a 15-4 win over St. Mary's in game one, but a no-hitter from No. 6 West Texas A&M dropped the Wildcats 11-0 in the nightcap.
Game One
The Wildcats got a strong five innings from senior
Brittany Rexroat who scattered five hits allowing four runs. The ACU offense did their part in their first home game of 2011 as they knocked out 10 hits and took advantage of 5 St. Mary's errors en route to a 15-4 win.
The win came as revenge after falling to the Rattlers in the finale of the St. Mary's tournament on Monday as they lost in extra innings to the home team. However, this time it was all ACU as three Wildcats had multiple hits including
Erin Gilliland who hit a walk-off grand slam giving the ACU the win via run rule.
Gilliland had three hits and six RBIs, four of which came in her final at-bat, the walk-off grand slam. The junior also had a double and two runs scored.
ACU got on the board early with two run in the first and added two more in the third to take a 4-0 lead. The Rattlers would add three runs in the fourth, but the Wildcats would keep the lead at two adding a single run in the fourth leading 5-3.
St. Mary's would add one more run in the top of the fifth to pull within 5-4, but the Wildcats would break the game open in the fifth scoring 10 capped off by Gilliland's slam.
Game Two
In the night cap ACU's bat went silent after pounding out 15 runs on 10 hits in the first game. The Wildcats were shut down due in part to the No. 6 Lady Buffs ace Shelby Cockrell who held ACU hitless tossing a no-hitter in an 11-0 win in five innings.
Cockrell was outstanding walking only three batters two of which came in the second. She also struck out five while only facing 17 batters in the win.
Shelby Hall picked up the loss in game two allowing seven hits and seven runs, five of which were earned. She struck out three in 2.3 innings before being relieved by freshman Peyton Mosely.
ACU improves to 2-4 on the season as they finish the Whitten Inn Classic on Sunday with a pair of games at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
